Straight for the Heart
by Rubicon 9 Of Hearts
Summary: When an injured Leo saves Carrie from certain death, she too will dive headfirst into the mysterys of the past. But how are him and her related to the Tragety Of Sablier that took place 300 years ago? LeoxOc. Rated T just to be safe.
1. Alone

**Okay, so this is my first story. Retrace 62 kind of willed me to do this and it was the only thing keeping me sane while waiting for Retrace 63 back in July. Dang, Leo's eyes are breathtaking, but I'm not used to this at all, especially after reading Retrace 63. *Cries***

**Anyhow, this story is basicly about when Leo gets thrown 200 years forward in time to the present year and saves a young girl named Carrie from falling to her death. What they don't know that this is only the start of an adventure that will reveal unknown secrets about eachother.**

**I will try to update at least once a day. I have over half the story written, but I'm working on other works at the same time and school starts soon. Oh, and I only wrote the prolouge this way is because I'm afraid that history will repeat itself in the manga because of how things are right now. Poor Leo :(**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts, it belongs to Jun Mochizuki.**

**Enjoy!**

Prologue: Alone

His eyes opened and revealed an inky black world, much like his purple eyes that were tinged with black, reflecting that place. He became aware that he was laying in something that was liquid, the liquid being cold, just like this world, and it also surrounded his being. He was still wearing his clothes from before, but they were all torn, the coat was practically in shreads.

As he breathed in air, his eyes darted around through lenses (wait, since when did he have his glasses on again?), his mind trying to find any sense or clue as to where he was.

But it didn't seem like darkness, it was as if this was...

He sat up imminently, his heart rate rising, his breathing more rapid. His oversized glasses fell off his face and landed in the vast water around him and water dripped from his long messy black hair. In effect, his bangs covered his eyes even more, which he had hidden for so long, at least until Vincent talked him into getting them cut. Even so, he could still see past them and out into the void.

"This is...the Abyss?" He exclaimed in extreme alarm. "But I...how did this...?"

_"So please, Oz-kun, if I were to turn into his enemy, I want you to show me no mercy."_

"Oz-kun...?" He wondered. It was almost like a flash of a memory, one so dark too.

_"Just help Elliot..."_

"Elliot...?"

_"and...kill me with your own hands."_

His chest tightened at these words, ones from so long ago, ones of a desperate plea for a friend to accept this promise. It became harder to breathe, and he struggled to remain in control of himself, willing himself not to pass out.

His memory was fuzzy, but this scene he could remember. He had grabbed this boy's arm and told him this. He also remembered crying over someone's body, one that was stained with blood. He also remembered sitting across from this same boy, Oz-kun, at a park and asking him to come with him and those other two, Vincent and Echo.

"These are..."

There was an occasion, a rather dark memory as dark as the Abyss. He was standing alongside not only Vincent, but the other Baskervilles. Their opponents were Gilbert Nightray, known also as Raven because of his Chain, Alice, a powerful Chain often called the B-Rabbit (Bloody Black Rabbit), and Oz Vessalius.

Oz. Oh, Oz-kun. Such a good friend. The one who had the hero of 100 years ago, Jack Vessalius, inside of him. Oz-kun was also destined for greatness, not only as the future lord of the Vessalius Dukedom, but also as the messiah that would save them all. Turns out that was true.

After a bloody and vicious battle, Oz-kun had kept his undecided promise after all. For he had been told by Vincent he was the 'container' for that man's soul, Glen Baskerville. He didn't understand why it had to be him, but he had started losing his free will, and then Oz-kun saved him in the end, therefore keeping his promise that he never made.

"He...killed me." He realized. "But, somehow, I ended up here?"

He knew he should be dead, but he was here in the Abyss. Everyone knew the Abyss was a prison. The only people he knew who had escaped the Abyss were Oz-kun and Alice. Being here, it was like an endless maze, no sun to shine on him.

The madness and realization of being trapped caused his mind to flood with panic.

"I have to get out..." He muttered. "Somehow...!"

He didn't want to be trapped here, he wanted to be in the real world, not this place of illusions. Sure, it contradicted his words that he said long ago to his beloved master, Elliot. "I don't want to see." Still, it was better than being stranded here for eternity. He wanted to return to the people who cared about him, his friends.

With a shaking hand, he retrieved his glasses from the water and put them back on his face, covering his eyes once more. Struggling to stand, he stared off into the darkness of the Abyss. He closed his eyes and painfully took in air.

His eyes snapped open and he started to run, his feet splashing water around him as he ran onward in the expansive sea. His heart pounded painfully in his chest, but he continued on.

There had to be a way out of this hell, and he was determined to find it. This was his goal as he disappeared into the darkness of the Abyss.

**Plz leave a reveiw if you want. Also, this is my first story, so plz don't be hard on me. And yes, I know what everyone says, but I believe that Leo's eye color is a deep violet with hints of black. **


	2. Under Dawn's Sky

**Alright, since I have all the time in the world right now, I guess I can upload another chapter. ^-^ This one introduces my Oc, Carrie Strata, and I'm sorry if this chapter is a bit short. Sadly, this and the next chapter are, so I appoligize in advance. I'd like to thank MissIndigo for being the first to reveiw on my story! Thanks! Phew, just finished moving plants in from the gazebo because of the coming hurricane.**

**Sigh, I'm still waiting for Retrace 64. :(**

Chapter 1: Under Dawn's Sky

I waited for the door to close, indicating that my sister had left for work. When I heard the noise, I peered out the window of my room, watching her get in the car and driving away, over the hill and out of sight.

"Alright. Now's the time!"

I rushed to my closet and took out my lovely dress. It was a plaid red with black ribbons on it, and I simply adored it. After that, I put on my black and white stripped stockings and my knee-high black boots. Finally, I put on my fingerless black gloves and combed my hair.

With a smile on my face, I flung open the front door and rushed outside to the place behind my house I loved to explore. It had rained last night so the grass sparkled with the glistening raindrops left behind. My feet sent them flying as I ran though the grass. A morning like this was perfect to me, besides, I had five hours till my sister returned home, and as long as I didn't get my clothes dirty, I'd be fine.

If you're wondering who I am, my name is Carrie Strata. I'm 16 years old and quite known for my exploits around here.

Long ago, both my parents were killed in a car crash. From that point on, my elder sister, Sasha, raised me. I mostly known for my deeds of good will and my bright personality, leaving my mark on my sleepy town, Kara. It's not exactly a city nor is it a small town, it's in-between.

My house is situated in the countryside of Kara on the way into town. And outback...is my favorite place to be. My sister doesn't know I go outback and do this, only a few of my friends do. But out there is a grove of trees (well, more like a small forest) that give way to a plain of short grass. Then there is a ciffside that overlooks the beach. They're not overly tall, but if someone were to fall off them, there's a good chance of death.

Anyways, I had to be careful. One, not to fall of the cliff and die, and two, don't dirty up my clothes, especially with a certain day approaching.

See, next month will be the 300th anniversary of the famous Tragedy of Sabiler. Even though me and my sister are descendents of Sharon Rainsworth, the records still left very little to say about this event.

Among these, are tales of Pandora. The organization that investigates the Abyss, whose goal was to obtain the Intention of the Abyss, and whose enemies were the Baskervilles. They were also in the records. It's said that they are messengers of the Abyss and the ones responsible for plunging the old capital of Sablier into the Abyss.

Still though, even with a legend surrounding the events that took place 100 years after that tragic day, I feel some of the details are hidden and there are gaps in the tale. I look for these, but I have yet to find one good piece of evidence.

Okay, enough of this. Let's get back to the current events.

So, I made my way through the trees and danced about the plain. The morning was lovely and the sun was maybe a quarter way into the sky, clouds around it and often shadowing. But rays of light still came through, shining down on the land.

_'These rays will make the ocean sparkle.'_ I thought. The beach is a cool place to hang out, and to watch sunsets or sunrise. I preferred the cliffs better, but I had to be more careful around them.

When I arrived there, the glassy blue surface did indeed sparkle. The sun shining down upon the vast expanse of water below me. Water lapped the beach were the ocean began, both the sand and the water remaining undisturbed, at least for now. Seeing this wondrous scene made me feel at ease not only with myself, but with the world.

"So...beautiful." I was careful not to get close to the edge, so I stayed around a tree that sat on the cliffs. A light ocean breeze blew across the cliffs, rustling the leaves on the tree.

I figured an hour had gone by already, and I was hungry. Blame me for not eating anything before I left the house. I turned to leave, taking one last look at the scene of the ocean beyond me. I had to go back sometime before Sasha returned, and, I was starting to get bored and needed something to eat.

Although, as I made my way back through the grove, I will admit that at the moment, I was unaware of the roots that stuck out of the ground at the gorge. I might of left out the fact that there's a fairly big hill (I call it a gorge) with a river at the bottom at the end of the grove that I walk up.

I cast a glance at the river, and, as I passed by a tree near the edge, my feet suddenly tripped on a forlorn root sticking out of the ground. My body started falling forward, air rushing past me, and in a flash, I saw the river.

I was about to fall over the river, possibly plummeting to my death.

**I guess I'll leave it at that for today. (Insert evil smile here) Oh, and we'll see Leo again in the next chapter, in case you were wondering. **


	3. Savior

**Again, sorry for the short chapter. When I first wrote this back in July, I was up at 10:00 pm working between this and something for my driving class, so I wasn't really thinking straight. ****The chapters will start to get longer after this, so just be patient with me.**

Chapter 2: Savior

The slow moving river lay far below me, and gravity was pulling me there. My careless mistake of tripping over a root, and there was nothing to stop what was about to come, nothing to catch me.

Why me? There were so many things I needed to do. I can't die, no, not like this. It's hopeless, there's no escaping this fate.

This is the last time.

I felt something then latch around my waist and took my shoulder. I was frozen in place, and it was strange. Right now, I should be falling, right? Opening my eyes, I saw my hair dangling in front of me. I looked down and saw the edge of the hill and the ground below it, but I wasn't falling.

Something had saved me.

Whatever had hold of me pulled me upwards, further from the edge, and I soon stood upright again, revealing my savoir.

He was a boy about my age, dressed in some sort of fancy white shirt, black pants, and an old oversized jacket, all of which were torn. His long black hair was messy and covered most of his face concealing his eyes, which really didn't matter because he was wearing glasses. I then noticed that he was now holding my hand, which I figured he hastily took after pulling me up to steady me, but his hand felt cold.

"You should be more careful," He said in a quiet and raspy voice, a small smile on his lips. His whole body was shaking and through his smile I could tell something was up as he seemed to sway to one side. "miss..."

That was the last thing he uttered before his hand slipped from mine and he collapsed onto the ground.

My eyes stared at him as he lay there, unmoving. I couldn't make a move at all, like I was stuck in a single place. I just kept looking at him. A slight breeze blew past us, blowing my hair into my face, as if trying to block my view of the boy.

Something in my mind seemed to click, and my first reaction was closing my eyes and shaking my head back and forth. This made me focus and brought me back to reality. I kneeled down next to him and started to remove his jacket, but I stopped when I turned him on his back. There were red stains on his shirt.

_'Blood.'_ I took off his jacket and saw more on the sleeves of his shirt. Anxiously, I unbuttoned his shirt. When I did, I could see multiple cuts on him. A few looked deep, blood seeping from them.

"He's hurt." Bruises were starting to form on his torso, and I could see that his face was very pale, from loss of blood maybe. God, I can't believe I didn't notice before! How could I be so blind to this?

No, I have to do something. Whoever this boy is, he saved me, now I have to save him.

His body trembled as I put a hand on his face. "Don't worry, I'll help you."

**Again, sorry it's so short. Next chapter will be longer for sure!**


	4. A Pair of Glasses

**Yeah, so this chapter is longer just like I said. I think it kind of makes up for the earlier chapter, which was undoubtedly short. Aw, still only one person reveiwed. But I'm thankful for that anyways. Just a heads up, you won't hear from me for a little bit due to tropical storm Irene, which is looming over our heads right now, but I'll update as soon as I can afterwards. Gosh, I was in a hurry to upload this chapter because the wind started to pick up and we might lose power.**

**My sympathies go out to all those affected by the hurricane.**

Chapter 3: A Pair Of Glasses

"Carrie, where are you going?" One of my friends called after me.

Weird, how if you set a certain goal, if you truly desire it, everything else seems to dissolves, and your heart is set on this one thing.

Here, as my feet seem to move on their own, taking me to my destination, it is the same.

I was running away from school towards the hospital. All day, thoughts of a certain person distracted me from all the surroundings. Only he was on my mind; that pale face, that long and messy hair, his slim yet broken figure. I couldn't get him off my mind. Why? Simply it's because I'm worried about him.

I knew they had yelled out my name, but I didn't care. Their voices didn't matter to me. They knew enough about this boy to know why I was running to him.

Like how news of this boy was in everyone's mind, even if they had already forgotten, the memory of what happened that day left a wound on my heart.

_(Flashback)_

_Gently, I laid him on his back again, his shirt stained even more with crimson blood. We were outside the grove now and at the back of my house. The whole way there, I had slung one of his arms over my shoulder and carried him out of there. I wasn't aiming to hurt him more, but at least we were out of the grove._

_I had already called 911 with my cell phone, which had been conveniently kept in the pocket on my dress. I'm now glad Sasha insisted on me keeping my cell phone with me at all times._

_There was one injury on his side that I noticed was bleeding a lot. I did the only thing I knew. I rushed inside and grabbed a washcloth, pressing it down on the wound and applying pressure. He was still breathing, but it was uneven, and his pulse had slowed._

_The weather was still a bit cold, I didn't mind, but I'm not sure how this boy minds the cold. I took the his coat and laid it over him. Now that I looked at him, I could get a good look at his features._

_He had a good build, and his skin was so soft, but cold at the same time. If he wasn't injured, I might of though he would be sleeping. His hair was really long, and that seemed to stir some wonder inside me._

_**'How does he see through his bangs? Those glasses only cover his face even more.'**__ I asked myself. I pushed his bangs away from his eyes, but they were closed. __**'I wish I could see his eyes. I wonder what color they are?'**_

_I stayed with him, watching over him, until paramedics arrived. They rushed him off to the hospital in an instant. Which left me all alone, wondering and fearfully awaiting this boy's fate. _

_When they left, I noticed a pair of glasses on the ground. I picked them up and looked at them. _

_They must be his. There's no doubt about it._

_Holding them to my chest, I looked up at the sky. It was a clear day, yet the sun was still shining._

_**'Whoever you are, I promise you, these glasses are yours, and I shall keep them safe until you are well again.'**_

_(End flashback)_

I stood in front of the hospital, glancing up at it's five stories. It had remained the same as when I first came here after the boy was taken here.

When I entered the hospital that day, wanting to know of his condition, I learned that he'd been rushed into surgery right away. My heart had twisted at those words, and so I rushed down there. Three long hours, I sat there waiting. I wanted to thank him, talk to him, and return his glasses also.

Finally, the time came when I would hear of his fate. The doctor cast me a look, but then said to me, "He's sure lucky you found him. He's stable at the moment, but it will take at least a week to recover."

I was overjoyed, and I waited for him to awaken. By now everyone in town knew.

***Bing***

The elevator stopped on the third floor, just what I wanted. Getting out, I turned a corner and started walking down the long hallway. Each number I saw for the rooms, my eyes scaned over them carefully, not wanting to miss the room I was looking for.

"Oh, it's her again." People were whispering things around me. They knew my face and why I was here.

"Did you hear? She was the one who found him."

"Really? The one with the long drak hair?"

"Yes. She comes here after school and stays by his bedside, holding a pair of glasses."

"Are they her's?"

"No. They belong to that boy."

"How odd."

"A girl like that...for someone like him..."

_'I hate it when you criticize me.' _I thought bitterly. It's like they're telling me to not come back, just to forget about him. I can't. There's nothing wrong with seeing him. I made a promise, and so, I will wait for him to wake up.

"489...490...491..." I mumbled to myself. "492...ah! 493."

Spotting the room number, I took a deep breath and walked inside. The room wasn't that bright since the curtain blinds were shut, but still light came through, giving light to the room. I walked over to the opposite side of the room, by the window, and looked down at his sleeping form.

The covers of his bed were tucked up to his chest and I watched it rise and fall underneath them at a steady pace. His heartbeat was stable, which was another good sign, indicated by the rhythmic beeping of the monitor. He didn't have the oxygen mask on anymore, unlike when he first arrived here, but there were still few needles running into him, one leading to an IV drip. I had learned that most of his injuries had been closed up with stitches, but I could see bandages wrapped over his chest, even though he had a hospital gown on, I could still see them.

He looked better than before, but still pale. And yet, his long bangs still covered his eyes. It made me smile and I ruffled his hair with one hand. It felt so messy, but somewhat soft.

Sighing, I set his glasses down on a stand beside him and pulled up a chair, setting my book bag down beside it.

The flower in the windowsill was already dieing out, which surprised me. Maybe someone forgot to water it or maybe it didn't get enough sun, which meant I'd have to go buy another one.

I cast my eyes back to the boy. he had saved me that day and I didn't know who in the world he was. I just felt that I needed to stay by him until he wakes up, and I wanted to thank him. He was mysterious...but there was something else about him as well, I just don't know what.

* * *

><p>My entire body hurt. I don't really remember much of anything here, just floating in a dead space. Wait? Am I dead, or back in the Abyss? No, just unconscious most likely.<p>

Before I found myself in this void...let's see. It's hard to see it, but there was a girl. She had long beige hair and wore a plaid red dress. She was walking in the grove, along a gorge, when a root tripped her up. She was about to fall, but I ran up and just barley caught her. Then I remember saying something, and that was it.

I shuddered as another wave of pain passed through my body. I could feel my heart beating heavily in my chest, and I was having trouble breathing. How long I'd been in this darkness, I don't know.

Suddenly, a small light appears next to me. A tiny white light that circles me. Finally, it hovers above my chest, but then sinks into where my heart is.

Pain once again flows through me, more intense, and I close my eyes because of it. There's a slight gust of wind, but then everything's gone. The pain fades and feeling starts returning to me.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm laying on something soft, my head resting on the same surface. I don't feel the same pain as before, but parts of my arms and torso ache. My hearing returns next, and there's a faint beeping that gradually becomes known. I'm aware that there's something in my arm, noted by when I tried to move it. My eyes still show me darkness, but that's because they're closed.

Slowly, I begin to open my eyes, letting out a small groan as small rays of sun invade them, causing me to wince. My eyes manage to adjust though and I can see the bangs of my long hair.

I feel the presence of someone next to me, and I turn my head to see them.

_'Is that...?'_ I thought. My vision was still blurry, but I saw short beige hair and light blue eyes. _'Could it be...?'_

"Elli...ot?" I managed to say, straining my voice. My vision cleared, and they came into focus.

No, this was not Elliot. This was someone else.

It was a young girl. It looked at first like she had short hair, but it was actually pulled into a ponytail. She was wearing a long sleeved light gray shirt, with a red ribbon around the collar, a ruffled black skirt, and black fingerless gloves.

"Um...no." She said. This girl looked familiar, but when have I...

Ah, of course! Even though her hair was pulled back and she was wearing different clothing, her hair color, her eyes, her face, they were all the same. This was that girl that I saved.

"You...you are-"

"You shouldn't talk so much. You need to rest." She told me. That voice, it was calming and warm at the same time. "I'm glad you're awake."

This girl, had she been here this whole time? I had to admit, she looked a lot like Elliot, my master, but she was entirely different. And I wanted to know her name.

"You...are?"

She smiled casually. "Carrie Strata."

"Leo."

**I think that's a nice note to leave off on. I'll come back as soon as possible and as soon as the storm blows over. Until then, leave a reveiw if you'd like. Oh, and before you ask, Carrie isn't the reincarnation of Elliot, just saying.**


	5. Where Am I?

**Alright, the storm is gone. Ironicly, the sun is actualy shineing today, which probably means more driving today (Ugh, 5 hours down, 30 to go). On the flipside though, school starts in three days. What a pain! Thanks to Alice Bezarius and Tomoshibi-Chan for the new reveiws, seriously makes me happy. And yeah, Leo is one of my favorite characters too, next to Oz and Alice.**

**OMG! Retrace 64 is out! AT LAST!**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts or the book Incarceron. (You'll see what I mean)**

Chapter 4: Where...Am I?

_'Leo, huh?'_ I thought.

I guess all my waiting paid off. He was awake, and I now knew his name, Leo. What a cute name! And his voice, it was just the same as when we first met, quiet, but kind.

"I like your name."

He tried to sit up but I gently pushed him back down. "You really shouldn't move you know. It wouldn't be good if your stitches teared."

Leo seemed to understand my words and stayed still. I readjusted his bed for him so he didn't have to sit up, and risk tearing those stitches. Still, those long bangs covered his eyes, which annoyed me. He breathed deeply, then put a hand to his head.

"What?" I asked. "Headache?"

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Um...that's." I knew how long it had been, but I wasn't sure how he'd react. But, he has to know sometime. I gulped and gave him my answer. "Four days. Almost five."

He turned his head to me. "Four days?" I nodded in response, then he gazed back up at the ceiling. "Oh."

Leo didn't seem overly surprised, I don't think it really mattered. He then moved his hand slightly in front of his eyes, his fingertips just barley touching his bangs. "Wait, where's my glasses?"

_'Oh right.'_

"Here." I said, picking up the glasses, handing them to him. "They must of fell off your face. I found them and figured they must be yours."

He slowly took them and put them on. He smiled and seemed to relax.

"Thank you, Carrie."

I was still pissed that I wasn't able to see his eyes, but apparently he didn't mind. It was almost as if he was hiding. If he was still able to see, even with his glasses on, who was I to complain. Besides, those glasses must be very important to him. Guess I'll have to go along with it for now.

"Leo, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" Hey, the question just popped into my mind.

"16."

"Hmm. Fair enough. I'm 16 too."

At least we were talking, that was progress. Leo seemed to stir something within me, something long forgotten, but I wasn't sure what. Strange though, even if his eyes were hidden by his hair and glasses, he seemed normal that way, and I was getting used to it pretty quickly.

"Carrie, you wouldn't happen to be related to Elliot Nightray, would you?" He asked me. Elliot Nightray. His name was mentioned in the records a few times, but some details were fuzzy. Some people say he died a hero, but I'm not sure of the whole story myself.

"Afraid not." I regretfully answered. He tilted his head down, seemingly disappointed. "But if it's worth anything, me and my sister are related to Sharon Rainsworth."

He brought his head back up and looked at me. "Oh, you are? That's-" He stopped in mid sentence, brining a hand to his mouth and coughing a few times.

"You alright, Leo?" I asked as he laid limply on his bed.

"Not really."

I stood up and put my had on his forehead. "You do have a bit of a fever, then again you may just have a cold."

Just then my phone rang and I looked at the caller ID. Oh no, Sasha.

"Hey, what's up?" She made it short and to the point, the point being that she wanted me to go to the grocery store and pick up some things for dinner, like right now. The whole time I was talking to her, I knew Leo was staring at my phone inventively, like it was something he'd never seen before.

"What's that?" He asked me as I hung up.

"It's called a cell phone." I then laughed and took my book bag from the floor, slinging one of the straps over my shoulder. "You must have amnesia or something."

_'No, it's not that.'_ A voice inside myself told me, most likely my subconscious Ugh, stupid voice.

"I'll stop by tomorrow, right after school." I turned to leave, but something grabbed onto my wrist. Glancing behind me, I saw that it was Leo.

"Do you have any books?" He asked.

"Not on me at present, but I'll bring you one tomorrow."

He nodded and let go of my hand. As I walked away, I felt sad about leaving him. But I'm sure he'll be fine. Now, I had to get groceries, but I think I'll also stop by the bookstore and see if I can find a book he might like.

* * *

><p>As promised, she came back. This time, her hair was down and she was wearing a blue skirt with a yellow shirt that had some kind of design on it.<p>

"How you feeling today?" Her casual smile was brighter than the light being let in here.

"Just dizzy, that's all."

"Here." She said, reaching into her book bag and handing me a book called _Incarceron_. "Thought you'd like it."

The book was fashionably designed with a dark cover with silver leaves, golden letters that read the title, and a silver key with an eagle on it.

"Thanks." Then I remembered something, which was one reason I was really glad she came back. "Oh, Carrie."

"Yeah?"

"Could you stay here for a while? I heard that I'm getting my stitches removed today, and I-"

She put a finger to my lips. "Sure. It's not a problem."

I smiled, but the room suddenly started to spin and my limbs felt heavy, my eyes starting to close.

"Leo?" Carrie asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Ah, sorry. I'm fine." That last part was a lie. All last night, my head was constantly pounding, my throat hurt, and I couldn't get much sleep because of that. "I just...need some sleep."

"What ever the case, I'll stay here."

I nodded and let my eyes close, my mind drifting away from the world. Something told me though, that this place was different somehow. It was like, a different era.

Then I remembered some words I heard about the Abyss. _'Time is out of order.'_

The thought became stuck in my mind as I fell into the depths of sleep. That was an answer, and the beginning as well.

* * *

><p>Leo had fallen asleep, but only for a short while. When he did though, I watched him carefully, observing his face. Oh, how much his skin looked like that of a porcelain doll, giving me the impression that this boy was fragile.<p>

He somehow reminded me of a dream...

_**(Dream)**_

_**"What are you saying?" She demanded.**_

_**"My dear girl, he was already chosen, since young Vincent had to interfere." A shadowed man answered.**_

_**"Isn't there another way?" She was practically yelling now. "Why an innocent person like him?"**_

_**"You know that 100 years from now, that won't matter. And maybe if I were to be killed again, the thread of fate just might leave a fragment inside him."**_

_**At that moment, a ring of fire shot out around the two, completely surrounding them.**_

_**"There has to be something...!"**_

_**"Forget it." She looked up at the man. "I won't change my mind."**_

_**The bright flames came between them both and leapt onto her, trapping her in an inferno.**_

_**"No!" She shouted. "There's gotta be another way! I wouldn't let someone like that die!"**_

_**(End dream)**_

* * *

><p><strong>What an odd dream. These are a key compontent to the story though, so pay attention to them. As always, feel free to review.<strong>


	6. Not Reveil

**Yay! Another chance for me to update. On the side though, I'm working on a one shot called 'Ivory Medicine'. You can probably guess by the title. Sigh, I'm a sucker for stories like that. Meanwhile...I can't stop reading Retrace 64 over and over again! It's too good! I appreciate the new reveiws (I know it was only one).**

Chapter 5: Not Reveil

I was only able to sleep for 15 minutes, waking up to see Carrie's face again. She looked calm, but her eyes were like wandering spheres, a beautiful light blue. I still felt dizzy, and I could feel a faint, but familiar throbbing in my head. My throat was parched and in desperate need of a drink. Carrie seemed to read my mind, because she got out a bottle of water from her bag and gave it to me.

Minutes later, a doctor came in to remove my stitches. I was a bit nervous, but then Carrie took my trembling hand. A slight blush came across my face when I turned to her.

"Don't worry, I'm here."

I tried my best to relax as my hospital gown was untied, but when I looked down at my chest and arms, I was surprised by the amount of stitches that were spread all over my body, especially the ones imbedded in my side.

This is going to be a long day.

One by one, they were removed from my skin. Some of them hurt, so much that I clasped Carrie's hand tightly, which was holding mine. The ones that hurt the most were the ones in my side, but she was there beside me, so they hurt a little less.

I have no idea what it was, but something about her made me feel at ease.

I was relieved when the last of the stitches were out, but Carrie had to leave for a few minutes. So to pass the time, I started reading _Incarceron_. It felt so much like how Oz-kun's situation was when he was trapped in the Abyss.

It started with a boy named Finn, who was trapped in a prison called simply Incarceron.

* * *

><p>"Sasha, please, I beg you!"<p>

"No, Carrie! I won't, you know that!" My sister yelled. "Not for him, even if he did save you!"

"But, he...Leo has nowhere to go. You have to understand that." Tears were on the edges of my eyes. "We can take him in here."

My elder sister sighed angrily. "I don't understand you sometimes."

"Shut up! I have enough compassion to come up with this idea, can't you have enough to agree?"

She fell silent for a moment, but then started back up. "Carrie-"

"Listen to me." I interrupted. "I'm not doing this just because he saved me. I'm doing this because I care. He'll most likely be out of the hospital soon, but he needs more time to recover."

She seemed at a loss for words. "Um, I..."

"Please help me, my sister." I needed her answer, and it had to be the right one. If it wasn't, I'll just have to bring him here myself and convince her then.

"Carrie," She started. "I...I guess he can stay here, but only if he doesn't cause any trouble."

That's what I needed to hear.

* * *

><p>When I came back to Leo, I found him reading the book I gave him. He seemed to be totally absorbed in that book.<p>

_'I wonder if he likes it.'_

"Carrie, you're back." He suddenly said. I was utterly surprised. If he was so intently reading that book, then how the hell did he see me? Then again, I only assumed that since his eyes were hidden.

"You like it?" I said, gesturing to the book.

He turned his gaze up from the book to me. "Yes. It's very good. The main character reminds me of Oz-kun and Incarceron is almost like the Abyss.

_'Huh?' _Oz-kun? The Abyss? I've only heard tales of that prison, and who is this Oz-kun? I've heard mention of a Vessalius duke in the records by that name, but that's a common name now a days.

"Hey, guess what?" He said, smiling. "I'll be out of here tomorrow."

"Really?" I exclaimed. That was a surprise. He's been here nearly a week, and he's already healed?

_'Wow. He must heal quickly or something.'_ I thought

"Well, I've got better news. My sister has agreed to let you live at our house!"

"Do you have a lot of books?" Man, he must love books.

"Yup. All kinds of them."

His smile got bigger. "Then I accept."

* * *

><p>The next day I was let out, Carrie and her older sister, Sasha, meeting me there. Carrie had brought my old clothes, which she had washed and sewn for me. Her sister said I looked odd, but it didn't matter to me.<p>

Outback, they had a carriage waiting, but even so, something seemed odd. This place looked nothing like Reveil.

"Hey, er...Leo, is it?" Sasha said. "What's with the glasses?"

"Um..." It's hard to explain to anyone when it comes to my glasses. But Carrie said anything before I could.

"They're very important to him, that's all." She cheerfully answered. "Like a lucky charm sort to say."

"Whatever."

Out here, everything was peaceful, but I felt myself shiver as I looked around this place. Anywhere I looked everything looked different, the buildings were fewer and small, unlike the ones in Reveil. Once again, those words about the Abyss came back. Time is out of order.

"Leo, what is it?" Carrie called, her sister already at the carriage.

_'Not right...something's not right!'_

"C-Carrie, what...year is it?" I nervously asked.

"Oh, well, it's 2011 of course."

_'What? That can't be right! It was 1811 back before I-' _That's what the words meant.

I felt dizzy again, and the dull throbbing in my head turned into and intense and sharp ache. My chest tightened and the last thing I remember was Carrie saying something, someone's warm embrace catching me, and then everything faded to black.

* * *

><p>"Leo, what is it?" I asked. Sasha was waiting impatiently at the carriage, but I ignored her stare. My eyes were fixed on Leo, who was just standing there.<p>

"C-Carrie, what...year is it?" His whole body started to shake as he spoke. Honestly, I was thinking to myself. 'What kind of stupid question was that?' I couldn't have been more  
>wrong.<p>

"Oh, well, it's 2011 of course."

Even though, I couldn't see his eyes, his face seemed showed an expression of shock to my answer. He put a hand to his head and coughed violently a few times. I opened my mouth to say something, but he started to sway and he lost his footing.

"Leo!" I cried, running up to him and catching him in my arms before he hit the ground. His glasses slipped from his face, and I was surprised that the didn't break.

"What's wrong?" Sasha asked, approaching us.

"Don't know. He's not bleeding anywhere, so that's ruled out." I turned my head to my sister as I unbuttoned his collar. "Help me get him in the carriage."

"What?" She exclaimed. "Shouldn't we-"

"No. All his wounds are healed. He just might be suffering from fatigue."

"Then what was with that weird look a moment ago?"

"I'm not sure, just help me." I demanded, putting his glasses in my pocket and putting one of Leo's arms around my shoulder again. Here's the thing, last time I did this, it kind of hurt my shoulder. I'm not doing this a second time, I need her to help me.

"Carrie, this is really-"

"Help me get him in the damn carriage, Sasha!"

She obeyed this time and took his other arm, doing the same as me. When we got him in, I laid him on the opposite side of the interior from where I was sitting. Sasha closed the door, and I knew she was climbing up to the drivers seat so she could steer the horses. I heard the small snap of reins and the carriage started moving.

_'God, what happened?'_ I wondered, staring at Leo. When I had set him down, his head tilted towards me and his bangs had shifted off to one side, revealing his closed eyes. As I looked closer, his eyelashes seemed to tremble.

I don't know why, but as much as I would be happy to see his eyes when he wakes up, I sat up and kneeled down beside him, brushing his bangs back over his eyes and putting his glasses back on. I smiled and sat back.

My mind was wandering off though. Whatever I had said earlier had affected him in some way. Think, think Carrie!

_'Oh, well, it's 2011 of course.'_

That was it. Somehow, that had triggered this. But why would someone faint just because it was a different year? A different year...

That's it!

I face palmed myself and remembered. In the records, it states that not only is the Abyss a prison, but a place where time is out of order. It also said that it was rare people had escaped, but ended up moving forward in time.

I only knew of a few circumstances in which people had escaped the Abyss; Lord Oz Vessalius, who skipped over 10 years, and Kevin Renegard, who skipped over 30. The time you skip is varied, just as the Baskervilles started to emerge in that time after 100 years.

I looked at Leo again, and my mind was swirling with a theory. His clothes, his confusion about my phone, his mention of the Abyss yesterday. It would make sense. If he did have amnesia, then this theory would be worthless. If this was true, it would explain his severe shock to the current year.

The answer was simple...Leo might be from a different time.

**She doesn't know how right on with that guess she is. Anyways, I have always had the feeling that the series takes place in the 1800s (Just a guess). Also, if anyone's ever read Incarceron, have you noticed how similar it is to when Oz was trapped in the Abyss? Like always, feel free to reveiw if you want.**


	7. Melody

**Yay! I finsihed my one shot and it wil be up soon if anyone is interested in reading. Anyhow, school starts tomorrow D: and I'm gonna end up being really busy today. Driving, getting my hair done, getting my stuff ready for tomorrow, etc. After school starts, I may not be able to update as much, but I will try after school to get the next new chapter up.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

**Sigh, where has the summer gone? :(**

Chapter 6: Melody

"Leo...?"

Through my half closed eyes, I could just barley see Carrie. She was looking at me with worried eyes, the light blue spheres shining with light. I was laying on the side of the carriage, my head resting promptly on a small pillow. My coat had been placed over me and the collar of my shirt was unbuttoned.

"Leo. Thank God you're awake." She sighed. My whole body shook as I coughed again, making my chest hurt. Carrie noticed and handed me a bottle of water.

"Drink." She plainly said. I didn't hesitate to accept her offer, and especially such a offer for something to try and relieve my burning throat. The water felt good as I drank it, somewhat dousing the burning. Still, it didn't help much. I gave her the water back and groaned, closing my eyes.

"Where are we?" I weakly asked.

"Almost to my house." She took my hand and put her fingers to my wrist. "Your pulse is fine, which is good."

She let go off my hand as I raised it to my forehead. "I'm tired."

"Well, you can sleep all you want once we get to my place. In truth, you're not looking too good."

_'Maybe she has a point.'_

_(Flashback)_

_The sun had risen again onto this land. My eyes winced at the sun coming through the trees. I sat up and rubbed the back of my neck. There was a low throbbing in my head, painfully pulsing with every second that went by._

_Wait, forget that last part. Sun? That means...I'm out of the Abyss? I don't really remember how I got out, but for all I know, this could be an illusion. But, this doesn't seem like an illusion, so I'm most likely back in the real world._

_I pulled my coat closer to me, although it was different that my usual one. Ah, I remember now, it was so torn and I found one in the Abyss, so I left behind my old one and took this one instead._

_Getting up, I felt a stab of pain in my side. I clutched my side, but I pulled my hand away to see blood on my hand._

_**'Damn. Like I didn't have enough problems already.'**__ I put my hand back on the wound and looked around. This place looked like a grove of trees, ether that or a small forest. I don't think there's any place like this outside Reveil, but there has to be a town somewhere nearby._

_I took a few steps forward, but I ended up falling to my knees, a wave of nausea sweeping over me. I ignored it, remembering that I had to find a way out of here, if there was one._

_After what seemed like forever wandering around, I felt another sharp pain, this time in my chest. I looked down at my shirt, and saw that there was blood on it._

_"Ah." I briefly saw a memory of Elliot, before he died. The wounds that had been sealed by that wretched Chain, Humpty Dumpty, had unsealed, and soon he too became stained with blood. My guess, the same thing was happening to me. These injuries I might of sustained in the Abyss, even if I don't remember, and when I escaped, they might have sealed for some time, but now they were staining my clothes with that crimson color._

_If this keeps up, I might just end up the same way._

_Suddenly, there was a rustling of leaves on the ground. I stupidly hid behind a tree, but when I looked back behind me, I saw a girl. Her long hair flying around and she gracefully danced. She wore a lovely red dress that twirled when she did in the same motion._

_But then, her foot caught on a root sticking out of the ground, and time seemed to go in slow motion. _

_Where we were was on the edge of a gorge, a river at the bottom. She was falling in that direction, and she would fall to the bottom, and most likely die._

_Time sped back up and she continued to fall, but I reacted to the situation and ran up to her, quickly catching her before it was too late. My arms ached from keeping her in place, but I managed to pull her up, and she stood upright._

_As she glanced at me, I whispered something I don't remember, and then, with all my strength gone, everything shattered into darkness once more._

_(End flashback)_

"Hey, Leo!" Carrie's sudden call made me snap out of the remembrance.

"Sorry." I apologized.

"It's okay. I'm a bit distracted too."

"By what?"

She took a deep breath and laid back in the seat. "You're not from this time, correct?"

I almost forgot. The year was supposed to be 1811, but instead, it was 2011. I felt dizzy again, unable to believe it, but Carrie reached out and put a hand to my chest, making me blush slightly.

"Calm down. Your heartbeat just rose for a second there."

I looked at Carrie. Now that I look at her, I can see through her eyes that she is caring yet a shy little girl, even if she didn't show it. Behind that warm smile though, she hides a sad past deep inside her.

"Carrie," I said, getting back to the current conversation. "The Tragedy of Sablier, it was 300 years ago, right?"

Her eyes widened slightly in surprise, but then relaxed. "Just about. The 300th anniversary is in a few weeks."

300 years ago to this year. If it was 1811 when the battle between me and Oz-kun happened, then...

"Then I've skipped over 200 years when I was in the Abyss."

"What?" She exclaimed, as if unable to believe it ether. "You escaped from the Abyss?"

I nodded. "I think so."

She must know some things about the Abyss, like knowing that it's a prison, just like in the book she gave me.

Just then, the carriage stopped and a few moments later, Sasha opened the door.

"He's awake then? Anyways, we're here."

* * *

><p>I got out of the carriage first, then Leo followed, his coat draped over his shoulders. He swayed a bit, so I took his arm to steady him.<p>

My house is a two story house that from the outside, looks like a castle, but it's not. It was just built beautifully. It was a nice pattern of septa and parchment. Inside were different rooms, and even a spiral staircase.

"Your house was finely built, I can tell." Leo said. "It almost looks like some of the buildings in Reveil."

I smiled as Sasha stepped inside our house, me and Leo following her.

Leo seemed fascinated with the interior. He glanced around the living room at all our items, collected from various corners of the world. It was almost like seeing a kid in a candy shop. Just watching him look at every single object, it made me smile, like a warmth I ever hardly felt.

Soon, he disappeared behind a corner, and I knew he must of found our library. I walked in to find him looking the books on the shelves carefully, taking in each title. I couldn't help but let out a laugh at his curiosity.

"We got a lot of books here, like I said."

He nodded, but then started taking various books from the shelves.

"Wha-?" I exclaimed. He took about 5 of them, which made 6 if you count the book he already had. Don't get me wrong, he still didn't look well and I wanted him to rest, but seeing him take these books, glancing at each title with a smile on his face, it seemed to overrule what I wanted.

"You must love to read." He cast his smile back at me, a stack of books in his hands.

"Hey, Carrie." Sasha called, her head peering though the doorway. "I gotta head back to work, alright?"

"Now?" I whined. It was almost like an excuse. I know she didn't really like Leo staying at our place, but if she's trying to avoid him because she's mad about that...it's just mean.

"Yeah. You can make dinner for yourself and Leo if you get hungry." She said, grabbing her things. "I'll be back in a few hours."

_'Sure, and by that, you mean five.'_ I thought as she walked out and closed the door behind her. Sometimes, it seemed like she only wanted to go to work to avoid me, or Leo in this case. But he was here this time, and I wasn't alone now, which is better than roaming an empty house.

I sighed and started to walk back into the living room. "I'll go make up your bed for you. If you'd like you can stay here and-"

I was interrupted by the sound of books hitting the wooden floor. I turned around and my eyes grew wide when I saw Leo laying on the floor, books strewn all around him.

"Leo!" I knelt down next to him and tried to coax him awake. Finally, he stirred and gently took my arm. I helped him up and then took him over to a couch we had in our library. As he laid down, I put my hand to his face.

_'His skin feels clammy.' _He might still be in shock to the year, considering he'd skipped over 200 years. However, that shock had seemed to fade from him. Then I thought back to when he first woke up at the hospital. He did have a fever and he had said the next day that he felt dizzy. I never thought much of it.

_'Leo...'_ He suddenly took my hand, which made me blush instantly.

"So sleepy." He said, his voice more strained. "Hey...Carrie, why is your face all red?"

That only made it worse, but I willed myself to calm down.

"Um, nothing. I...back at the hospital, why did you call me Elliot?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

He seemed to be thinking of something to say, but it didn't take long. "It's...you look somewhat like my master."

Oh, so he must of been a servant in his time. "And just who would that be?"

"E-Elliot Nightray." He answered before his hand let go of mine and he slipped into sleep again.

* * *

><p>The sun was setting outside, but I was woken by a soft tune. My head still hurt, and I felt a sickening feeling in my stomach, but I sat up and found my glasses on a little side table next to me. Putting them on, I saw that I was in the library still. Turning my attention back to the song, it played almost like a calm river, and whatever this song was, it flowed though the room. Such an angelic and familiar...<p>

Lacie.

* * *

><p>I sat at the piano, playing the composition carefully, each note echoing under the keys I played, the smooth surface feeling cool against my agile fingers. This song was the only way to relieve my already confused mind.<p>

Leo had been asleep for three hours and counting, and that was already making me worry. But something else, another thought, floated around in my mind.

Just before he passed out earlier, he had said I looked like his master, and I was utterly taken by surprise when he said it was Elliot Nightray. I thought back to the records, which did indicate that he did have a servant, but that servant's name was Reo.

What troubled me more, there was also mention that Reo was the 'container' for a malevolent spirit's soul, Glen Baskerville, 200 years ago, exactly in Leo's time.

I know their names are similar, but that couldn't be Leo, there's no way. He doesn't look like anything the records have ever said, which is very few.

I sighed, letting my fingers guide themselves over each key. This song I knew very well, but it sounded so familiar, as if from somewhere long ago.

"C-Carrie? You know how to play the piano?" I heard a voice ask. My fingers froze, interrupting my thoughts and the song. I turned and saw Leo standing in the doorway to this small room. From outside, the sunset came in through the window, shadowing, yet letting light on us both at the same time. It made him look, well...argh, stop it Carrie!

"Not much, but, um, you should be resting you know."

"I know, but...that song." He said, staggering slightly as he approached me. "You know it?"

"What this?" Did he know it too? But, this song, it seemed to make him a bit happier, but sad at the same time.

"Lacie."

So, he did know it. "Uh, yeah. You know it then?"

"I should be asking you the same, but yes, I do." He replied, sitting down next to me, and then picking up the music sheet to look at it. "Me and Elliot would play it all the time when we went to Lutwidge."

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask, but...can you actually see through those glasses? Do you have a problem with your sight?"

He coughed and put the music sheet back where it was. "Not at all, in fact, I can see perfectly. These glasses..." He paused. "Elliot gave them to me."

"Oh. Just curious." Now I felt like a total idiot. "It just seemed like they were one-way mirrors."

"Hmm. Maybe they seem that way, but I assure you, they're just glasses."

"Then why is there any reason for you to be wearing them?"

"It's...I don't want to see the world."

I blinked, knowing those words were laced with a confusing meaning. Who wouldn't possibly want to see the world? To hear those words from Leo, it was confusing. What in the world was that supposed to mean? However, it appeared as if it was something he didn't really like talking about, so who am I to continue with this.

"Well, in response to your earlier question about the song, it's quite odd how me and my sister obtained this wonder." I said changing the subject.

"Hmm?" I recalled an old story in my mind, one that me and Sasha knew very well.

"A long time ago, a lady of the Rainsworth Dukedom was in love with a man from the Nightray Dukedom." I explained. "He wrote up a copy of the composition and gave it to her because she loved it so much. Ever since then, it's been passed down through our family. Me and my sister received it...before our parents died."

I slowed on the last words, reminding myself of that day. I had cried no tears, but just stood there with an apathetic look in my eyes.

"Sorry."

I turned my eyes downward. "I know, but that day has passed, although, sometimes, I still miss them."

This wasn't like me. I don't get upset over these things. I won't cry, but I'll just have that same expression. Suddenly, I heard the keys of the piano being played. I looked up to see Leo playing the song. His hands moved more swiftly than mine, and it's like he could play without even looking at the music sheet.

"You're very good." I said, my own voice becoming more light at this.

"Thanks. I taught myself how. You want to play too?"

I was puzzled at first, kind of surprised by the fact that he taught himself how to pay piano and he was really good at it, but then I figured it out and smiled. "Yes."

Both of out hands lightly moved over the keys, of fingertips gently touching each of them, a simple practice evolving into a four handed preformance. Everything was in perfect harmony, in sync with each other.

_'Heh...what was I thinking earlier? There's no way this sweet boy could of been that 'container' 200 years ago, even if their names sound similar.'_

**Carrie kind of taught herself how to play piano too, but only how to play the song Lacie, that's all she knows how. She deosn't nesicarily know about Leo being the 'container' for Glen's soul, because she thinks it was someone else just from what she learned in the records. So, she's kind of clueless to this. Plz feel free to leave a reveiw, I really apreciate them.**


	8. Kara

**Well, first day of school...this is going to be a long year. I guess doing this will keep me sane. Again, I appreciate the new reveiws even though it was just one. Oh, if you're wondering about the chapter name, it's the name of Carrie's hometown.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts**.

Chapter 7: Kara

The music that woke me wasn't from the piano, it came from somewhere else. A strange tune that I've never heard, but what did I expect? I'd been thrown forward 200 years in time, of course things were different. Anyway, I sat up and put on my glasses, which were sitting on the nightstand next to me. I still felt a little tired, mainly from last night. Sigh, another fitful sleep.

After playing the piano with Carrie last night, she insisted I went to bed. I couldn't argue with her, mostly because when I stood up, I almost fell to the floor, but Carrie was bracing me with her arms. The room I was in had the curtains shut so sunlight couldn't get in, and didn't have many things other than a dresser, a nightstand, and a bed.

As I stood up, my legs felt wobbly, but I could still stand. Before I walked out, my eyes saw a mirror, reflecting myself.

I smiled, my long hair messy as usual.

* * *

><p>Making my way downstairs, the music grew louder. I walked into the kitchen, Sasha making something, and Carrie at a table drinking tea. She was wearing a long golden laced nightgown, and her hair also messy. In comparison to me, Carrie looked lovely, while I was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday. She smiled humorously as I staggered in. She probably thought I looked like I was drunk.<p>

"Good morning, Leo." Her cheerful voice resounded.

"You're looking a little better today. How are you feeling?"

"Well, I wouldn't say good, but a little better than yesterday." True, after I went to bed last night, I woke up at least three times,except for when Sasha got home from work. At that time I was trying to sleep, but Carrie had kept me awake, so I decided to see what she was up to. Then she accidently elbowed me in the stomach because she was happy about something and hadn't seen me behind her.

Anyway, those three times when I had woken up I didn't even know what time it was and each time I had a hard time falling asleep because I had a bad headache and I felt like I was going to be sick at any second. However, I did feel better today.

She nodded and decided to change the subject. "In case you're wondering, this music is kinda...ambient.

"Yeah, she's nuts about that kind of music." Sasha muttered.

Carrie heard that and turned to her sister. "I am not! It's just...it is very calming."

Seeing Carrie's face as she bickered with Sasha, how her mood switched so quickly, tossing out words back and forth at each other, for a moment, I thought I saw him; Elliot. But, that's not him, it's Carrie. Elliot's dead, and...that's right.

It was because of me.

_"Elliot! Say the name!"_

"Oi, Leo." I looked up and saw Carrie and Sasha looking at me. The tense atmosphere around them had calmed down, and now Carrie's focus was back on me. "What's wrong?"

"Uh," I curled my hand into a fist, scrunching up some table cloth along with it. "nothing."

* * *

><p>"You know, I'd imagine it's hard to comprehend the time difference and all, but Reveil and Kara haven't changed much in the past 200 years." I explained as Sasha set food down in front of us, warm and soft pancakes with orange juice. Well, actually, I was having tea; the juice was for Leo. "In the modern day era of the country, Reveil is still the capital. 300 years ago, Sabiler was the capital, but as you know, it was sent into the Abyss. Apart from that, everything has remained solely as it is. "<p>

"Really?"

I nodded and took another sip of tea. "Yup. Normally, in towns or cities, you'd see cars. But, here and in Reveil, most everyone still uses horse drawn carriages. Some of the outlying towns have a mix of both. Also, Pandora and the four dukedoms, Vessalius, Nightray, Rainsworth, and Barma still very much exist today."

"Wait, 200 years?" Sasha suddenly exclaimed, realizing the mention of what I meant by 200 years. I sighed at her, even though we went over this last night.

"Sasha, we've established this already. He's skipped over a considerable amount of time."

"Yeah, but you never said it was 200 years!"

"And I never said to just but into things. He'll need time to adapt to the situation, not just recovering from any lingering wounds." Half of that was true, the other half was that he might be sick (I'm just judging from the past few days) and I didn't want him to stress about the time lapse, which would only make him worse.

"I don't know what's going through that head of yours, but I have to get going."

"See ya' later." I replied sarcastically. She muttered something as she walked out, and letting the door close behind her. I turned back to Leo and chuckled. "We don't get along all the time, but I don't see why she's complaining. I told her last night."

I wasn't sure if he was paying any attention, mostly because he was poking a barley eaten pancake with his fork, while mine was half eaten.

"I can see that." He muttered.

I closed my eyes and stood up, pushing my chair back as I did. "Come on then."

"To where?"

I opened my eyes, grinning intently at Leo "The balcony!"

* * *

><p>The screen door creaked as I opened it. The balcony faced the backyard, where everything looked so luscious. A wonderful scenery that I've always enjoyed every day. All the trees in the distance, the sun peeking over them every day, it's so...peaceful. The balcony itself was painted a cloudy white with a small table, a wicker chair, and a few other things.<p>

"Ha! Isn't it wonderful?"

Leo looked around, then smiled at me. "It's nice."

"It's a good place to read too. I usually come out here if I'm stressed or just want to read. We may have a mini library in our house, but that room is a bit too small for me. I like this wide open space, ya' know?"

He nodded again and looked out into the backyard. "I've noticed something about your sister."

"And what would that be?"

"She just jumps into any chance she can get to annoy you." Leo explained. "However, you shouldn't be so quick to retort to her words, otherwise, you'll both end up in a fight."

I was astounded. I'd never figured this out myself, and yet, he could see and recognize that in an instant. Even if it didn't seem like it, Leo was actually very observant. He turned his head back to me, my eyes meeting his gaze covered by those one-way mirrors of glass.

"You just need to retain this information and don't just act upon it irrationally like you did."

I blinked, slowly understanding what he'd just said. "I...I never thought of it that way."

His smile seemed to make things more clearer. "Just take time to think things through."

"I will." I triumphantly said. I walked up to the railing and leaned on it, the rays of sun warming my skin. A breeze came by and it blew my hair back. I could feel someone staring at me, Leo perhaps, but I wasn't really paying attention.

"Carrie." He suddenly said. "Is it really okay with you?"

"Hmm? Sasha? Yeah, I'll take your words into account and-"

"No, not that." He interrupted. "I mean, is it fine with you that I'm staying here? It doesn't bother you or anything?"

I thought it over in my mind. Of course I was fine with it, there was nothing wrong with that at all. But why would he ask such a thing when the answer is obvious.

"Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason. I'm not complaining or anything. I'm glad to be here actually, you're so welcoming. But does that affect you any at all? Are you okay with this?"

I chuckled before I stared off into the vast landscape. "It doesn't bother me at all. I don't care what Sasha says to me, because she doesn't really understand. You have nowhere to go, and I wanted to give you shelter. Also I...I wanted to get to know you better."

I softly smiled at my own reasoning. It was simple, and something important at the same time. This was like, a change for the better in my life. Such a lonely life, but yet, there was always dreams, and something that seemed like something from such a long time ago, deep in the past, hidden in dust. He seemed to remind me of something that was so nostalgic, so...

My wondering was broken by a horrible coughing sound. I turned to see Leo on his knees, a hand to his mouth, his body shuddering every time he coughed. He trembled as I kneeled down and put a hand on his back.

"What's wrong?" He slowly, but hesitantly pulled his hand away from his mouth, and my eyes widened in horror in what they saw.

His pale hand was stained with blood.

He put his hand quickly back to his mouth, his body shuddering again. This wasn't good, something else is in play here.

"Leo, can you get up?" I asked in a hushed whisper.

He nodded slowly. I helped him over to the wicker chair and he nearly collapsed into it. I handed him a little handkerchief from my pocket, which I knew I'd have to wash later now, and I sat down in a chair next to him. I was trying to think of any reason, any reason at all as to why this would of happened.

Then I remembered something.

"Hey, do you have any bruises on you? Any that hurt really bad?" I asked, leaning in towards him.

"Now that you mention it, yes." He coughed into the handkerchief and pointed to a spot on him just below his ribs.

Slowly, I unbuttoned the buttons on his shirt. Surprisingly, he didn't flinch as I did so. I parted the fabric, but paused.

"This is..." Just below the right side of his ribs was a grayish-purple bruise about the size of a fist. It didn't look extremely bad, but considering how this was affecting Leo, I knew this wasn't anything good.

"Shit." I muttered. This techincally might of been my fault, because yesterday, after Sasha had gotten back from work, she had given me the new album of one of my favorite bands, which I'd been trying to get my hands on ever since it came out last year. I was so excited, I had been totaly oblivious to anything else, and unforutnatly, I didn't notice Leo asking what I was so happy about and I accidently elbowed him. He never said much about it afterwords, so I asumed it was no big deal.

I thought back to when I'd seen this before with Sasha, and luckily I knew exactly what to do, learning from that time. I quickly ran inside the house and rushed back with some gauze.

"Okay, stay still." I instructed as I wrapped the gauze around the wound, no too tight, but not too loose. "This happened to Sasha once, and I was stuck taking care of her. Ironically, I learned how to treat this, incase it happened to ether one of us. Don't worry about the blood, it's temporary."

I finished wrapping the gauze and tied it off. The wind blew again as I stood up, and I mentally reminded myself to check my bike to see if Sasha fixed the brakes like she promised.

"Where are you going?" I heard Leo ask. I paused as I opened the screen door, looking back to him.

"I'm gonna get changed and run downtown. We don't have anything right now to ease the pain, so I'll just have to do something about it." In truth, I didn't have any money, so I'd have to go to Sasha and explain the situation. "Just relax and don't move. I don't want anymore stress on your body."

I walked through the door, and something dawned on me in that one instant.

_'He's fragile.'_

...

_"Heh...you're so scrawny, but that's what makes you cute."_

**She hears stuff like this often, but she'll figure out what that last part means later. Feel free to leave a reveiw, much appreciated and very helpful at times.**


	9. Revelation

**Lazy days...school is so boring...la la la...okay, enough with that. With the three day weekend coming up, I'll have much more time to work on the story, which I'm two-thirds of the way done with writing.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

Chapter 8: Revelation

"Eh? Sasha, what are you doing here?" Long story short; after biking down here, I forgot where Sasha works. (stupid me!) I knew it was somewhere in the plaza, I just didn't know where, so one by one I searched stores until I finally ran into her in the pharmacy.

My sister turned around to face me upon realizing I was here. "I'm on break. Besides, I could be asking you the same."

"Oh, uh." Crap. Right now, I had only just realized that this could be taken the wrong way with her if not handled correctly. I don't even know if she would believe the reason I came. So how was I gonna explain now? Ah, that's it! "I came 'cause Leo fell asleep while reading, but he woke up in some serious pain, and we don't have any painkiller at home to help."

"Alright then." She handed me a bag. "I had to pick this up because I hurt my leg earlier at work, but it's not that bad, so take this to him if you want. Sounds like he needs it more than I do."

"Uh, thanks."

She nodded and turned away from. "I need to get back ."

Still stoic goodbyes as usual, nothing had changed about that, not even in the slightest.

* * *

><p>"Well, well. If it isn't miss goody-two-shoes."<p>

I was about to leave for home, but I turned around at that voice as I unchained by bike, the pent up annoyance in it. Three boys stood in front of me, all from my school. Those creeps must of been following me. I knew them well, and I hated them. The one I hated the most was devilishly grinning at me.

"Albert." I sneered. Albert, an extreme eyesore and someone who thinks the same of me. All the time at school, he'd try his best to humiliate me and make me cry. Was his goal in life to see me cry and have everyone hate me?

"No time for formalities, you stuck up girl." He retorted. "What'cha got there?"

My grip tightened on the bag. "Nothing of your concern."

"Oh, really. Don't screw with me, I saw you walking out of the pharmacy. You think you're such a bad girl now."

I wanted to punch him, not caring who saw me. I knew very well what he was implying. That fool. "No. These are not mine, I would never do that. I'm out on an whim."

"I see." He laughed, his friends joining him. "So, where's your friend?"

_'Leo...' _What do they want to know about him?

"He's...not feeling well at the moment." I softly answered.

"Hmm. That depressed boy with the glasses is sick, huh?"

I snapped right then and there. That bastard! "You! How dare you say that? He's not depressed in any way, and his name is Leo!"

"So his name is Leo then." He scoffed and pushed me back, making me fall down back into my bike. "Well that's as far as you'll ever get. A guy who can't even see through that mess of hair and wears those over sized glasses."

"Shut up you-" But Albert cut me off.

"You're just lucky he can't see what a low life you are!"

That hit me hard. Normally, I'm not affected by those things, but if someone were to go that far, it would be a bigger impact on me. I couldn't even say anything as tears started to swell through my eyes.

"That's enough!" A calm, yet loud voice said.

* * *

><p>This town really hadn't changed, just like Carrie said. Everything was just like in the style of the buildings in Reveil, and I was practically over the time lapse now, it was like being back in Reveil, but this was still a strange world with strange concepts. Okay, I know, she told me not to move around, but I wanted to see what kind of town she lived in. I'm just lucky I caught a ride here from a passing carriage.<p>

"Oh, a library." I said, glancing up at the building, entirely built of bricks. The amount of books that could be inside just based on the size of this place just filled me with wonder.

_'Maybe I could ask Carrie to take me here later.'_ Yeah, sure, after I finish reading those books I picked out from her library.

Just then, I thought I heard a familiar voice from around the corner, but I might just be imagining it. I winced as I clutched the area where she'd wrapped gauze around my bruise. Now I definitely didn't imagine that. I should probably sit down somewhere or head back to the house.

"So his name is Leo then." This time it wasn't in my head. I glanced around the corner of the library just in time to see someone push Carrie down against a bike. I wanted to call her name, shocked that someone would do this to her, but seeing her helpless on the ground, that person standing menacingly in front of her I couldn't say it. The boy who stood in front of her had sandy hair and seemed happy at seeing her this way.

"Well that's as far as you'll ever get." The boy said again. "A guy who can't even see past through that mess of hair and wears those over sized glasses."

I could tell Carrie was getting frustrated as he continued to assault her with those words. "Shut up you-"

"You're just lucky he can't see what a low life you are!" She couldn't take anymore as tears came to her eyes.

_'T-those...fools!' _How could they do this to her? My hands curled into a fist, I couldn't stand by and watch them bully her, I couldn't stand seeing her cry. I can't stand it!

"That's enough!"

I stepped out of the shadows and went to stand in front of her. I knew their gaze was on me, but I couldn't let her get hurt anymore.

"You must be her friend, Leo, right?" He mockingly asked.

"Yes. I am her friend." I calmly answered.

"Well what do you see in a girl like that, huh? I don't even know what she sees in you."

"If I were to answer that, she's a brilliant person, and quite frankly, I don't see why you have to torture a sweet and innocent girl like her."

He fell silent for a moment, but then snickered. "You're really an idiot to be friends with her, ya' emo boy!"

He then pushed me back as well, making my glasses fall off, and since he pushed me right were my wound was, I coughed up a little blood as I regained my balance.

"Leo!" I heard her cry out.

"Hey, shut up, girl! And you, listen well!" He proclaimed. "I'm guessing your story with her is that she's some kind of shred of happiness in your life or some other stupid reason. You're just another depressing addition this town doesn't need, and she's just annoying to stand up for you. A girl like that...she doesn't deserve any friends at all!"

I really couldn't find any words to toss back at this person, but I could feel anger rising within me. This boy, how could he say such things about her? I knew Carrie only as a innocent little girl, who only did what was best for the people she cared about. To say she doesn't deserve any friends, it's like telling her to go die. These people are fools.

"I'll tell you again. That's enough." I found the strength inside to say these words, and the wind started to pick up as I said them. "Please, leave her alone."

The wind blew harder the moment I uttered those words, and the sun seemed a bit brighter now, as if...it was just like before.

_"Those eyes of yours see a 'golden grain of light' that others cannot see."_

I remembered those words which Vincent had whispered in my ear that day. This was only true for a short moment, the wind calmed down, covering my view of that light.

"L-let's get out of here!" I heard him exclaim. He must of seen them, meaning my eyes scared them away. That didn't concern me at the moment.

_'I thought that was over.'_

"Leo...?" I turned around, Carrie looking up at me and holding my glasses.

I kneeled down in front of her and asked, "Are you alright?"

"I think so." She said, a weak smile on her face.

I sighed, knowing those words were still lingering on her. "Hey, don't listen to them. Their words are unfounded."

She chuckled lightly. "I know. He's an eyesore."

I laughed along with her, a humorous comment that represented what she thought that person was, and her laughing voice made it more funny, but then I felt something being put on my face.

"Here's your glasses back."

"Thank you."

* * *

><p>After our confrontation with Albert, me and Leo returned home. I wonder what had made Albert turn tail and flee? When we got back, I asked Leo if he was feeling alright, mainly since he'd come to my aid earlier and Albert had pushed him back so hard that he actually coughed up a bit of blood due to his wound. He said it hurt a little, but he was fine. So I made him some soup and gave him some pain killer afterwords to ease his pain. Then he went to bed about an hour and a half ago.<p>

_'Hmm. Interesting.' _I thought to myself as I looked through the books he had picked from our shelves. A few of them my favorites, a few of them Sasha's favorites. I knew right now he was reading I book I'd gotten him called _Incarceron_ and he liked it a lot, mainly because of its similarity to Oz Vessalius and the Abyss, but he said it was well written too.

It seemed we had more in common than we thought, our love of books was that exact common thread.

I flopped down on the couch and was about to turn on the TV, when I heard a scream, startling me into sitting up.

There was only one other person in the house right now. _'Leo?'_

I walked over to his room and pushed the door open to see the sheets tangled around him, and he was curled up into a ball. His body trembled and he was...crying?

"Leo?" I asked as I walked over and put a hand on his back. He shuddered and turned his head slowly up to me. "What's wrong?"

"J-just a bad d-dream." He stuttered.

"You know you're crying, right?"

He didn't really seem surprised, only slightly confused. Does nothing affect this guy?

"Oh, it's...well, I dreamed about Elliot's death."

"Ah. I remember reading about it in the records." I did know of this incident.

The records stated that at an apparent party being held for Oz Vessalius, which, unbeknownst to most people, was a cover for a mad man named Isla Yura's attempt to recreate the Tragedy of Sablier. Moving on, Elliot had gone to rescue his servant, Reo, who had been captured, and stopped his own mother from killing him, but then a Chain named Humpty Dumpty emerged, which led him into realizing that he was the headhunter. The reasons as to how he came into contact with this Chain or why he killed members of his own family are still unknown, but in the end, he rejected his own Chain to save everyone in the mansion, ultimately killing not only the Chain, but himself.

As I thought this over, even if some details were hazy, the possibility of Leo actually being the servant of Elliot Nightray 200 years ago became more probable, and I was starting to believe it even more, but I didn't entirely believe it yet. I just can't believe it yet.

"Heh...really? Was it that awful?" I nervously asked.

"I guess I'm still a bit shook up over it."

I nodded. "I see. Well, try and get some rest. You look really tiered."

I turned to leave, but he grabbed my wrist as I did. "What if I have that dream again?"

I sighed inwardly. "Okay, you know what?" I walked out but came back with a dream catcher and hung it off the ceiling fan. "This is called a dream catcher. It is believed that only good dreams can slip through it, and bad dreams get tangled in it and are vaporize at the first rays of morning. Trust me, it works."

"Alright then." His body relaxed, not even caring if he was tangled up in sheets. I smiled and walked away, but the subject of his dream still created doubt within me.

_'No, I...I just can't believe it yet.'_

**They just can't catch a break, can they. Oh well, things will get easier for them after the next chapter, at least for a little while. ;) As always (and I know I sound annyoing by saying it), feel free to reveiw. Much appreciated.**


	10. Into Your Eyes

**I just felt that this scene had to be here. And besides, Carrie's gonna find out the truth about Leo at some point. I supose this is a good time to do so. When I was writing the part where Leo dreams about Elliot's death, it took me a little bit because I wasn't sure how to write it. At least I have it done now.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts**

Chapter 9: Into Your Eyes

The sun was setting over the horizon outside, and it shined through my closed curtain as I lay on my bed. I wasn't sleeping, just very bored. There was nothing on TV to watch, I didn't feel like reading, Leo was still sleeping, so I went to my room, set my stereo to random, and put a CD on.

_'Ugh, there's nothing to do around here.'_ I thought angrily as I listened to the music playing softly. I breathed in and out, absolute boredom now becoming official. I tired to think of something to take my mind off this boredom.

I thought about Leo. I was a bit worried because he'd barley eaten anything all day, but he seemed to be getting better which was good. I was absolutely confused from earlier though. He said he dreamed about Elliot's death, and the only way this could be true was if he actually was his servant 200 years ago. This would mean the records had the wrong name all this time, but why was I surprised? I searched for the truth in that legendary tale that was hidden, but why did I feel doubt?

Maybe because...I just can't believe it yet.

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Dream)<strong>_

_**Everything was deathly silent, and he just stared at his master in disbelief. His master was surrounded by a crimson puddle of blood, the deep red color was all around them, dying the stone floor of the mansion. **_

_**Leo stared at the body of his master, Elliot, his clothes stained with blood and lying on the floor, unmoving like a broken doll.**_

_**"E-Elliot...?" To him, this seemed like a horrible dream, a nightmare. This couldn't possibly be...real. However, the longer this silence went on, the possibility of this being a dream was diminishing in his mind. Elliot still didn't move.**_

_**"No...no, this can't be!" He shook his master's shoulders in an effort to wake him. Nothing changed. Leo stopped and stared at Elliot's face, and the cruel reality set it.**_

_**"Oh no...please, no!" He still didn't wake up, even if he was right in front of him, but there was no more warmth coming from him, he was cold now. "Elliot, please don't. Wake up. Don't do this to me, please!"**_

_**He soon realized his begging was useless now, and everything was melting down around him, a dark shadow seeming to engulf him in sadness and guilt. "Elliot!"**_

_**He begged for him to open his eyes, wanting to see those light blue eyes again and hearing Elliot's voice as he told him that everything would be alright. But, no, that wouldn't happen. Leo's own quiet sobs were staring to crush him like a weight, his heart breaking into a million fragments, because there was nothing left of his dear friend and master.**_

_**He wouldn't be able to hear his voice again, see him laugh or flip out at someone, get mad at him, play piano together...none of this Leo would never see from Elliot ever again. **_

_**"This was all..." He knew the answer...because of him, Elliot was dead. If Leo could erase this moment, he wouldn't hesitate to do so, just to get Elliot back and change this horrible fate. Then they could of walked out of here alive with the others. **_

_**The tears that streamed down his pale face were uncontrollable as they hit the floor and disappeared and he suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe.**_

_**"Elliot, I'm sorry! This was all because of me, and I'm sorry! Please, you can't leave me! I can't! I just...I can't...do this..."**_

_**Leo wanted him here, because he needed him. Elliot was the only thing that stabilized his life, all the misery inside. He kept him stable every single second they were together, he made everything alright, he kept the voices away; all that was shattered now, and Elliot would never hear the words Leo cried in this single moment.**_

_**It was all too much for the fragile boy as he pressed his head to Elliot's bloodstained chest and cried. His body shook with each agonizing cry that escaped his lips, echoing around the room. He didn't want to believe that Elliot was dead, but this was no dream.**_

_**Elliot was dead.**_

_**(End dream)**_

I woke up suddenly, the sheets still tangled around me. I felt tears slide down my face just from the pure remembrance of the dream. I looked up at the dream catcher Carrie had hung earlier, but no matter if it was some kind of magic, the dream still came back. A haunting dream that tore me up inside each time it came, that dark memory, and the reality was still the same.

"Elliot..." I whispered, tears still flowing without form or direction.

* * *

><p>I smiled as the song changed. This song was nice, one of my favorites. The melody was simple, yet it touched my heart. Those two musicians who composed these songs were creative indeed.<p>

***Slam***

I sat up slightly, hearing the door slam shut. "Ngh...Leo?"

Was he awake? If so, did he go outside? It was the only explanation for the door opening. So, I got up and went to open the door.

"Leo?" I called. He wasn't in the front yard, so I went around to the back. As I looked up to the sky, I saw that it had gotten cloudy outside.

_'Hmm. I guess it wasn't as sunny out here as I thought.' _Okay, now I really wanted to find Leo, judging by the sky, it looked like it was going to rain.

I was going to call out his name again, but I didn't have to search any more. "Leo!"

In our back yard, we had a small pond and a wooden gazebo. He was sitting on his knees at the bank of the pond, but I sensed a kind of sad atmosphere around him, which was very odd. Usually, he was very calm, but this time, he seemed different.

"Hey." I said as I walked up to him. I reached a hand out, but he turned away from it. Yeah, something was definitely up. "It looks like it might rain."

Too late. The rain started to come down. _'Me and my big mouth.'_

I shook my head and looked at Leo, who didn't seem to be bothered by the rain. He just sat there, not caring about the rain.

"Um, Leo, is something wrong?" He didn't respond. I looked closer at his face and through the rain I could see tears rolling down his face. His body was trembling and I wondered if he was cold.

"Come on, you can't stay here in the rain." I took his arm and pulled him up, managing to get him over to the gazebo. Now, we were sheltered from the rain. We sat down on the wood floor, and we were both soaked from the rain. Leo was still shivering from the cold, and that was bothering me.

"Okay, you can't wear this, it's making you cold." I said, unbuttoning his shirt. "I accidentally left my sweatshirt out here in the gazebo earlier, so you can-"

My words became stuck in my throat as he let me remove his shirt, my eyes staring at him. He was thinner than I thought he was, and his arms had barley any muscle on them. I could see the faint scars from his stitches across his torso and the gauze I'd wrapped around his chest this morning. The only other time I'd seen him like this was back at the hospital when he was getting his stitches removed, but I had my eyes turned down to the floor the whole time.

Still, just staring at him, and shirtless at that, he was a very fragile boy.

"Hey, Leo, why did you come out here?" I asked, trying to distract myself.

"I don't know." I saw another tear slide down his pale cheeks. "I guess I just wanted some fresh air."

That may be true, but I still don't get it. I knew he'd been sleeping, and I didn't know he was awake till after he closed the door as he went outside. Also, when I had gotten to the door before I went outside to look for him, the little rug that sat in front of the door was off to the side, as if someone had run across it and their feet had made it go where it now sat. And why had he been crying when I found him, even if he sounded calm? It was as if something had startled him and made him upset.

"Was it that dream again?"

His body went rigid at my question, as if he was afraid that I'd ask that. For a few moments, the only sound around us was the sound of the rain, but when he opened his mouth to say something, he shuddered and started crying.

"He's dead, all because of me!" He shouted. As for myself, I was stunned; my calm observant friend was crying.

"Now why in the world would you say that?"

"Because it's true! Elliot died because of me! Why couldn't I have done something, why couldn't it have been me?"

I was curious, but I also felt pity. Sure, I haven't known Leo for too long, but for some reason, seeing him cry like this...it hurts my heart. Maybe because I'd never seen him like this.

"Why do you say it's your fault?" I asked.

"Why? Someone like you wouldn't understand at all!" He yelled.

"Hey, I know I haven't known you for very long, but I bet I could understand. Just give me a chance, don't think that I wouldn't be able to understand if you told me."

He seemed to hesitate, but he took a deep breath and started to tell the story through his tears. "It started a few months after I became his servant. We were in Sablier looking for a few children who got lost in the chasm. We found two of them dead, but when we found one that was still alive, a Chain came out of nowhere and Elliot saved me from it, but he was gravely wounded. I stood in front of Elliot to protect him from further harm, but then the voice came back."

_'The voice?'_ This was a new one, but I sensed this was the truth.

"I thought they had gone away for good, but anyways, they told me that the Chain would be able to seal the wounds on Elliot, but I'd have to guess it's name because they couldn't recall it anymore." He continued.

"What was the Chain?" The records stated nothing of this, and I wanted every bit of truth I could get. But, what came next shocked me.

"Humpty Dumpty." That name, it was the exact one from the records that had formed a contract with Elliot Nightray. The reason was now uncovered, but there were still a few crucial components missing.

"It was the right name, correct?"

He nodded and continued with the story. "I made Elliot drink its blood and call out its name, therefore, saving him, but he became an illegal contractor. Soon after, the Chain erased his memories of that day, but, when the mystery of the headhunter came about and the party at Isla Yura's mansion...well, I'm sure you know."

Every bit was the truth, the past reveled. But I couldn't understand why Leo felt guilty. "Well, I kind of do know what happened at the party, but, if you saved him that day, then it wasn't your fault! It was the Chain's!"

"No!" He yelled at me. "If we never met, then he would still be alive!"

"Stop this! It wasn't you, it was a cruel twist of fate!" I interrupted.

"Then what would you call being cursed with misfortune?" He demanded. Whoa, this was so not like Leo.

"What do you mean by misfortune?"

"I'm the cause of it. Both my parents were killed by Chains, I heard voices in my head, I could see dancing flecks of light, and when I met Elliot, that was the beginning of the end for him. All of that was misfortune I was cursed with!"

_'Going along with this, it's as if...' _From what the records said about the servant of Elliot, even though they were few, these things were said. It was said that this servant claimed to see and hear things others couldn't, and both his parents were killed by Chains, just like Leo said. They matched perfectly, but, I still can't believe it yet.

"No one could have possibly predicted such a thing, you nor anyone else could of predicted an outcome like that." I said soothingly. "Besides, I'd like to know, you claim to see those things, golden lights of the Abyss' energy perhaps?"

He turned his head to me in surprise. "How would you know that?"

"It's in the records." I answered plainly. "But, still, why is this light so bad?"

"I don't want to see it." He muttered, his voice still tense with sadness.

"Is that the reason you decided to hide your eyes?"

"Of course it is!" He snapped. "I don't want to see that light, and I don't want anyone seeing my eyes!"

"Now what's so bad about that?" He opened his mouth to respond, but I cut him off. "So what? If the events of 200 years ago have passed, then everything is as it should be, you don't have to hide. I can understand your opinion, and I accept it, but I ask one simple thing?"

I took his cold hands and peered into his face. "Can I see your eyes?"

He pulled his hands away from me and turned away. "No. You don't need to see them, it'd scare you, just like with those guys."

"Ah." I remembered. Albert and the others had seem frightened by something, and I was totally lost as to how that happened. Were his eyes the reason?

"Leo, how scary could a face possibly be? I understand if you don't want anyone to see them, but just let me this once. You can trust me."

He didn't bother answering, but he turned back to me and nodded, almost hesitantly. I took a deep breath and reached forward, slowly taking his glasses from his face. I set them down beside him and looked back at Leo. He seemed to be nervous, but he didn't try and move away. Slowly, I reached for his hair and pushed back those long bangs that covered his eyes, but I stopped, my body freezing and I almost let out a slight gasp.

What I saw staring back at me was unbelievable. I saw deep pools of violet tinged with a light black. In that instant, it was like looking into the deepest night sky. I felt my heart beating faster as I continued to look into those deep reflecting eyes, and now I could see that they were like windows into his soul, and I felt like I understood everything. I sensed that he had a troubled and dark past, and that everything he just told me was a part of it.

_'It's so...beautiful.' _I've never seen eyes like his. In the records, there was something stated similar to this, and those eyes were said to belong to...

_'No. Oh God, no way!'_ In the records, it stated that the servant of Elliot Nightray had these exact same eyes; Reo...Reo Baskerville. After Elliot's death, he'd discovered that not only was he the heir to the Baskervilles, but the next 'container' for Glen Baskerville's soul.

Staring into those eyes, I realized the truth. The records regarding the name of that person were wrong. The name wasn't Reo...it was Leo. The person in front of me was the 'container' and the servant of Elliot Nightray 200 years ago.

I pulled my hand away and let his bangs cover his eyes once more. My mind was trying to absorb all this truth, finally accepting it, and I could do was just sit there with a blank expression.

"You probably think I'm a freak. I'm always the weird one." Leo said, his voice barley audible.

I shook my mind from these thoughts. "No, I don't. Please believe that."

He started to cry again, and I let out a low growl. I then wrapped my arms around him in a warm embrace.

"C-Carrie?" He whimpered.

"In truth, I think your eyes are really beautiful. They're so deep that they could pierce a soul. That rich violet, it's like looking into the night sky; a blooming lilac flower. I've heard of eyes like this from the records, and...they're the same." I said, pressing my body against his. "But, 200 years have passed, you are no longer that 'container', so now it's over. And just know, don't think that Elliot's death was your fault. It was that Chain. So, don't think this way, it was never you. It wasn't your fault."

"Do you...r-really believe that?"

My intentions were as clear as day, and I smiled softly. "Yes, Leo. I truly believe that."

Suddenly, something came to mind. I can't believe I forgot! I had many opportunities to say it, and all of them had slipped my mind. That, I admit, was foolish of me to forget, but at this moment, it was something worth saying. "Hey, if it's worth something, I still haven't expressed my thanks. So, thank you, for saving me that day."

I heard him trying to say something, but no words came out of his mouth. He whimpered and buried his head in my shoulder. I knew his tears were wetting my shirt, but I didn't care. Right now, I could sense the amount of sadness that resided in his heart, shown through his tears.

_'God, I guess Elliot's death was that hard to take.' _I shouldn't of been surprised. He was there after all, and for some reason, even though new details about this event had been unearthed, it didn't seem to matter to me. Right now, Leo just needed someone, anyone, to just find some sort of comfort. I was willing to be that, I didn't want to see him like this.

There was rain pouring down around us, and under the shelter of the gazebo, I held Leo close to me, his arms returning the embrace and tears continuing to slide down his face onto the floor and into my shirt.

Little did I know, however, that there was someone else here, watching us through the rain.

**Sigh, Carrie is so full of denial, well, not anymore I supose. Feel free to reveiw, as always.**


	11. Pandora

**This will be my last update until Monday afternoon becuase I'm getting shipped off to my grandmother's house and there's no wifi there! irk...I'll contiune to work on the story though. Yeah, consider this a filler chapter if you want. I just this would be an interesting idea to work with, and from the chapter title, I bet you can guess what I mean.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way**

Chapter 10: Pandora

I tried to think of what I possibly wanted to do today, I mean it was a day off from school because it was a holiday, but it seemed things would of remained rather calm. After breakfast, Sasha left for work, and me and Leo took to the books.

It was quite peaceful. Whether we were back to back, side to side, face to face, or just laying under the clear sky of that day, we were reading and listening to many songs. Sometimes, we'd play piano and Leo would teach me how (I only knew how to play Lacie since I don't use the piano that often), but we would then go back to reading.

Thinking back to yesterday, Leo seemed to be returning to his normal self. Back then, I noticed something; through this calm personality, he is unstable inside, proven through when he yelled at me during that incident. Today, he was much more calm, unlike before. I was happy to see him finally alive with his usual personality.

What I also noticed, is that he seemed to be getting better. He wasn't really compltely well, but better than before. He still didn't eat much, but his fever had broken and he could move around at least. I asked him once if he was feeling better and he just answered me with a quiet nod, so I took that as a yes.

It was a break in a cloudy sky, however, unbeknownst to both of us, things were about to change for us.

* * *

><p>The next day, I had to go back to school, our small break over. Today, I had on my usual outfit; a white shirt, cameo capris, and my usual black boots and fingerless gloves.<p>

"Hey, Carrie, where are you going?" Leo asked as I slipped on my navy blue mod jacket and buttoned it. He sat on the couch in our living room reading _Incarceron_, half of his attention to the book.

"You're looking well." I said, noticing that his condition had greatly improved from yesterday, but I answered his question all the same. "I gotta go to school. I'll be back at 3:00."

"Where do you go to school?"

"Kara High School." My school wasn't really much to look at, just a small one story school. "Hey, I got an idea. After school, why don't we head down to the plaza and look for some new clothes for you."

He looked slightly confused, which made me smile. Seriously, he did need some new clothes.

"There's a shop down there that sells clothes that appear as if they were made in your time. I'd bet we could find you some old fashioned clothes like that."

He smiled and started reading the book in his hands again. "That sounds great."

_'Good.'_ I thought as I grabbed my bag and walked out the front door.

* * *

><p>It was nearly 3:00, which meant Carrie would be back soon. Before she left this morning, she came up with an idea to go to some shop down at the plaza. She seemed really intent on this, so better to just go with it, besides, it could be fun.<p>

I recalled the day before, how we just laid around reading and listening to music by Hammock. Even though I've never heard music like this before, I was starting to like it. I guess after hanging around Carrie for a little more than a week, I'd get used to the things she liked.

At the moment, I lay in bed and stared up at the ceiling. The book I was reading was at my side, but I felt too tiered to read it. My body was still a little weak, but I could still get up and move around. I better do that anyway, she'd be back soon and she left me some old clothes to change into.

My memories faintly recalled what happened yesterday. I can't even remember the last time I cried like that. But Carrie...she had been so open, understanding, and comforting. She wasn't afraid to share her own opinion. In short, she was like...just a normal girl, even if small pieces of sadness were hiding behind her eyes. There was nothing special, not like possessing a Chain or anything; she was just a kind and gentile girl and nothing more.

I stretched as I got out of bed, my joints aching slightly from not moving around that much. I was just about to grab the clothes Carrie had left for me, when I heard something from outside my room. Curious, I opened the door and saw a picture frame lying on the floor.

"Hmm." I said as I walked over to the frame and picked it up. "Now why would this-"

My words were cut off when something grabbed me from behind and placed something over my mouth. I struggled with all my might against this person, but I couldn't escape their grasp. Soon, I could barley move my arms and everything started spinning.

_'Damn.'_ Then I couldn't move at all. I lost all feeling and darkness closed in around me, even my own thoughts seemed blank. The only thing I could hear for a small moment was the sound of my own heartbeat as I lost consciousness.

* * *

><p>"And that covers Newton's third law of motion." My teacher said, wrapping up the boring lecture on the three laws of motion, even though everyone knew them by now. As if on cue, the bell rang and everyone got up to leave.<p>

"Hey, Carrie." One of my friends said, walking up next to me. "You doing anything after school?"

"Sorry, Grace. I'm going to the plaza with Leo." I answered.

"Isn't he that boy you found last week? I hear he's been living with you, is that true?"

I blushed and turned my eyes away from her. "Maybe."

I heard her laugh. "So, you finally snagged yourself a boy!"

"Oh, shut up. We're just friends." With that, I distanced myself from her, not wanting to hear anymore of her accusations, which could of gotten really weird.

When I exited the building, I started walking towards home. It wasn't that far, and besides, my bike was right at the bottom of the hill that our school sat on. Even so, it would take me a few minutes to reach my house from here.

I reached down to unchain my bike, but then a hand covered my mouth and pulled me away from my bike. Their grip was strong, seeing as how I couldn't get away and they were dragging me away. I tried to scream, but it was muffled to the point were it was inaudible.

"Shh."

* * *

><p>"Okay, you mind explaining to me what the hell is going on?" I shouted to the man across from me. Moments ago, I'd been dragged into this carriage and this guy sits down across from me. He has light brown hair and is dressed in some kind of uniform. Also, he has a sort of open yet annoying smile.<p>

"Ha-ha. Over dramatic as usual, Carrie-kun." He said.

"What the-?" I exclaimed, surprised by the mention of my own name. "How do you know my name?"

"Well, around these parts you are quite known, so who wouldn't know your name?"

Okay, this guy was really starting to tick me off. "Enough with this. Why are you-"

The carriage came to a stop suddenly. "Ah." The man said, getting up from his seat. "Even though we've only been talking for a short time, it seems he's brought the other."

"Other? What oth-" As soon as he opened the door, another man tossed someone inside. I could feel anger bubbling up inside me, because on the floor was Leo, clearly unconscious.

"What did you do to him?" The other man flinched and tried to run away, but the one I'd been talking to reached out and grabbed his arm, keeping him in his place.

"Now, now, Artie. There's no need to be afraid of her." He said. "I swear, you're just like your ancestor. Get in the carriage."

The man called Artie nodded and climbed in, taking a seat next to the other and closed the door.

"Don't worry about him." He said, noticing that I was looking at Leo with extreme worry. "Artie here just put him to sleep temporally, he should be awake soon."

I glanced at Artie, but he seemed to be frozen in place, not saying a word. Just then, I heard a small groan. I looked back at Leo, tilting his head up at me.

"See, what did I tell you?" I helped Leo up and he sat down next to me, readjusting his glasses.

"You didn't even change into the clothes I left out for you?" I said, glancing at the clothes he was wearing.

"Well, I was kind of ambushed before I got the chance." He said in his usual quiet voice.

"How is that...okay, forget it. We kind of have a bigger problem here." I glared at the two men across from us. Artie, flinched again while the other smiled.

"Well, now that you're both here, I think some introductions are in order. I am Maverick Rivet, and this is Artie Vandervere." He explained, gesturing to himself, then to Artie.

I nodded. "Alright then. And considering you know my name, you must know my friend's name too."

"Ah, yes. Leo." Maverick answered.

"Where are you two taking us?" Leo asked.

He answered the question with a laugh, then continued. "To Reveil, or more specify, Pandora."

* * *

><p>After a half hour ride, the carriage finally stopped at a large building near the clock tower of Reveil. We got out the carriage, following Maverick and Artie. I wasn't overly surprised that they took us here, having visited Reveil a few times with Elliot, but Carrie seemed to be in total wonder.<p>

"You've never been to Reveil?" I asked her.

She turned her eyes away from looking at buildings to me, annoyance lingering in her eyes. "Never, although, I'm not surprised you would have."

"Yes, and things practically look the same as back then,"

"Hey, do you think those guys might actually work for Pandora?" She asked, her voice more quieter.

I thought about it for a moment; those uniforms they were wearing, they did look like they were uniforms from Pandora. "Maybe, but we don't know for sure yet."

I heard Maverick snicker and we turned our heads towards him. Carrie seemed irritated with this person's laughter.

"Hey, What's so funny?" She demanded.

He turned around to face us. "Well, if we didn't, why would we be taking you here?"

As he said that, he lead us inside the building the carriage had parked in front of. Inside, the place was very old fashioned, just like it was in my time. So, judging by the information that had been provided for us, this place was...Pandora?

After walking down a long hallway, we were led inside a large room were three other people that were probably a few years older than us, were waiting. They were all wearing similar uniforms, but they were different also. One was a blond with a warm smile and she was flipping through countless papers. There was also a red haired boy who just sat by and looked at us, nodding slowly once. The last was a black haired girl wearing glasses who was polishing a sword with a cloth.

"Ah, so you've brought them." The red haired person said.

"Ha-ha! They're here!" The blond exclaimed.

"Hmm. I thought they'd put up more of a struggle." The black haired girl said, being the last to speak up.

"Thank you all for coming." Maverick said, him and Artie sitting down with them.

I looked at each of their faces, observing their features, the expressions on their faces. These five were gathered here, for us apparently, although it was unclear as to why they were here or why we were here.

"Um, you all are...?" Carrie asked with confusion.

"These people here, including myself, work for Pandora." Maverick answered.

"So this is indeed Pandora." I spoke up.

"Yes. Where did you think we were taking you?"

"That boy is quiet." The red haired boy said, again, his voice monotone.

"Whoa, I still don't understand any of this." She interrupted. "Who are you people? Why are we here?"

Maverick stood up. "All five of us work for Pandora. We are five of the best agents here. Although, there is something that divides these four from myself, even though we work together."

"What exactly would that be?" He smiled at my question and looked back at the others then back at us.

"You see, these four were appointed not only for their skills, but because of their heritage." He then pointed to the blond girl. "This is Tracy Wood, descendant of Oz Vessalius." Next, to Artie. "You already know him, but he is the descendant of Gilbert Nightray." Then to the black haired girl. "Thorn Rail, who, like yourself, Carrie, is the descendant of Sharon Rainsworth."

"Oh, so we could be related in some way?"

"Heh...maybe, my friend." Thorn said.

"And finally," He said, finishing the introductions with the red haired boy. "This is Philip Newman, descendant of Rufus Barma."

"It's nice to met you all." I gave them a light smile, and Tracy jumped up from her chair.

"Quite. Maverick's talked a lot about you, so we discussed it." She said cheerfully.

"Wait, what exactly did you discus?" Carrie was now becoming more on edge, probably because she wasn't getting the answers she wanted.

"You see, Carrie, Leo," Thorn stopped polishing her sword and looked at us with icy blue eyes. "We want the both of you to come work alongside us at Pandora."

I'll admit, I wasn't expecting that. We get taken here, introduced to these people who are descendants of people I knew in my time, and now, they're asking us to join Pandora. I remember me and Elliot doing the same upon his request, mainly because he was determined to find the headhunter. But, of course, the truth became known at Oz-kun's second coming-of-age ceremony.

"Whoa, why us exactly? What makes us so special?" Carrie's voice was laced with disbelief.

"Let me elaborate on that for you." Artie answered, for the first time in a while. "We detected an abnormality in energy regarding the Abyss. We theorize that this is an imbalance in energy. Oddly enough, you appeared afterwards." He gestured to me, then to Carrie. "We then heard news that you found this boy, so we decided to launch our own investigation to find out more regarding this imbalance and how it implies you two."

"I was the head of this investigation, so I tracked you two down using information from the news, and did more investigating." Maverick interrupted.

"Wait, so you were-"

"Spying? If you want to think of it that way, yes." Carrie opened her mouth to say something, but Maverick cut in again. "I thought it was quite cute to see you comforting him while he cried his eyes out to you."

Her mouth dropped open and I realized what he was talking about. That time, he was watching us through the rain, hidden to our eyes.

"Carrie, I know you may think of this as imprudent, and I agree, it might have been a bit unnecessary, but this was an important part of our decision." Philip spoke up before Carrie had a chance to lash out at them. "You seem to posses an energy that gives you determination to fulfill your goal. And like us, we also believe that there are some things that were shadowed by false facts, like the fact of the true name of Elliot Nightray's servant, the boy in front of us."

_'They know?' _It was clearly obvious that they knew my name, but saying that they knew I was Elliot's servant, it also meant that they knew that I wasn't from this time.

"Ah-ha! You poor boy!" Tracy exclaimed. "Yes, yes. We know. But, if you are with us, you could provide us with very useful details, and you too may also have a skill as well."

"Carrie, Leo, think about it." Maverick said. "This opportunity would serve as a great chance for both of you to learn about the true past, rewrite what is wrong. So, why would you pass this up?"

They all stood, a suit of potentially powerful people. "What do you choose?"

I knew for Carrie, this would be an opportunity to pursue her desire, but I'm not sure how this would affect me. They only seem to be interested because of my name, but if I could find the reason why I was chosen to be that container, it would ease some stress off my mind. However, this could also be a chance to start over.

"Leo, what do you think?" Carrie asked. "I mean, yeah, this could help me with my research, but I'm not sure if you're willing, especially with what's happened in your life."

I stood silent for a moment, thinking everything over, but then I gave her my answer. "I know how big a deal this must be for you right now, and I just want to say this; I want to help you. I'll help you find those answers as well as my own. I still, after all this time, don't understand why I was chosen, so I'll search for that too. Also, I think I could start over, actually help others instead of hurting them."

I took her hands (don't know why) and gazed into her clear blue eyes. "I accept."

"Well, have you made up your mind?" Maverick interrupted. We turned to them, a smile on our faces.

"We accept your offer." We said in unison (surprisingly)

"Well, now that all is said and done." Artie said. "You can both go on your way."

"Ah, can you drop us off at the plaza in Kara?" She then cocked her head to the side and grinned at me. "I'll take you to that shop like I promised."

"I'd like that." Right now, I wanted a little relaxation, and strangely enough, Carrie's offer was perfect.

* * *

><p>As the carriage rolled off, Tracy, Artie, Thorn, and Philip joined Maverick as he watched it disappear out of sight.<p>

"Hey, Maverick." Thorn said in almost annoyance. "There's something strange about the boy."

"Leo? Yes, if what you said is true, then he is...?" Artie joined in.

"From 200 years ago, he was the container?" Tracy's voice was less cheery than usual.

"Baskerville." Philip finished.

Maverick turned to them, knowing the same thought was on all their minds. "We don't know for certain if he still has those abilities, or if 'that person' still dwells within him. It shouldn't be that way anymore, but...well, only time can tell us the true answers."

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Dream)<strong>_

_**She wandered in the garden, the petals from trees being blown all around her. Her eyes were looking for someone, and there, by the river under the shadow of a tree, did she find him.**_

_**"There you are." She said, coming up from behind him.**_

_**Her voice startled him as he turned around sharply to face her. Upon seeing her face, he breathed a sigh of relief and put a hand to his chest, obviously trying to clam his quickly beating heart.**_

_**"Oh, God. Please don't scare me like that."**_

_**"Sorry."**_

_**"Aren't you supposed to be with Jack-sama?" He asked her.**_

_**She let out a small chuckle. "Nah. He's with Glen-sama right now or visiting Alice."**_

_**He nodded. "I see."**_

_**She then cocked her head off to the side and put a hand to his forehead. "Are you alright? You feel feverish."**_

_**He pulled away from her so her hand wasn't on him anymore. "I'm fine. I just don't do well in heat. Why do you think I'm in the shade?"**_

_**"You hate both summer and winter, and it's not that warm out." He didn't look at her, instead diverting his attention to the river. "Look, I know your health isn't that good, and I know you can get very sick if you're out in this weather for too long. Come on, let me take you inside."**_

_**He blinked before taking her arm. "Fine, I'll..." His whole body suddenly tilted forward, but she caught him in her arms.**_

_**"Maybe I should get you some medicine while I'm at it." She said as she helped him stand, his body swaying as they walked inside and out of garden.**_

_**(End dream)**_

I gasped as I awoke from the dream, sitting up in bed slightly. I took a few deep breaths before I calmed down and laid back in bed. My ears were filled with the harmony of another ambient song echoing around my room, (I need music to help me sleep) which kind of eased my mind from what I'd just seen. It wasn't a nightmare, that's for sure, but it didn't feel like a dream ether. To put it simply, it was almost like...

"Carrie?" I looked up towards my door to see Leo standing there, dressed in some new pajamas we bought.

"Ugh, please tell me this is a dream." Nope, still there. "What is it? Still with that dream?"

"Ah, no." He answered, moving closer to me. "Please don't think of this as imprudent, but, can I...sleep here for tonight?"

I blushed instantly. Thank God the lights were out. "Huh?" I almost shouted it too. "Why would you want-"

"Oh, nothing like that." He sat on my bed next to me. "I can't sleep and I...I feel really cold."

Even though I was a good person, I had the sudden urge to slap him. Just why? It's nearly 80 degrees outside, and the fans in our house only dropped it to about 76. How could anyone be cold?

"Leo, I-" I jumped slightly at a sudden icy touch on my hand. I looked to see Leo's hand on mine, a cold feeling still lingering on my hand. As I moved his hand off mine, that icy chill went through me again, and then I realized the source of the cold feeling. I put a hand on his arm and that confirmed my answer.

_'His skin...it feels like ice.' _Now I knew why he said he felt cold, it wasn't because he was trying to be weird, it was because he _was_ cold.

"God. Leo, are you feeling alright?" He didn't answer me. He just sat there, trembling.

I sighed knowing there was only one thing I could do. "Okay, come here."

I moved over in my bed and pulled open a sheet. He looked at me with confusion and asked, "Is that okay with you?"

"Yeah, I don't want you to be cold and not get any sleep, so come here. But just this once."

He got into my bed next to me and pulled the sheets up over him. He coughed and tried his best to relax. His body was slightly pressing against mine, and I could feel him tremble, a cold feeling between us and surrounding Leo at the same time.

_'I wonder, has it always been this way, or is it because he's been sick for the past week?'_ He was fine now, but I wonder if he was still getting over his illness. My pity was obvious in this situation. I pressed myself even closer to him and put one of my arms around him. I could tell he was surprised by this sudden embrace, but I didn't want him to be cold. I've heard of a condition like this before, and I knew that he could be put through a great deal of suffering because of this. I wanted to help him, so, this was my way, in this situation.

"Good night." I whispered.

**Aw, so cute! I'm not the best at writing scenes like that, but I tried. Meanwhile, another strange dream for Carrie. She'll catch on soon enough though. Anyhow, seeing as my next update won't be until Monday afternoon, please feel free to reveiw. Much appreciated.**


	12. First Assignment

**Thank goodness I'm back! I can't stand being over there in that tiny place! In addition, I've gotten one chance after working on my homework, which has already made me hate being a Junior. Anyway, enough with my complaining. Time to get on with the story.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

Chapter 11: First Assignment

The music had died down by the time morning came around. And when my eyes opened and adjusted to the dimly lit room, my face instantly turned red when I saw Leo lying next to me, his face to me and clearly sleeping.

_'Oh, crap! What's he- okay, think. Did we do anything? No. Let's see...'_ I calmed down and started to recall last night, the memories starting to come back. _'Right. He came in here last night, and he was really cold. I know so because his skin felt like ice. I still remember that icy touch on my hand.'_

I breathed a sigh of relief, and relaxed against him. I reached my hand out and ruffled his hair, smiling at how unnoticeably cute he was when he was asleep.

At that moment, Sasha opened the door, and her mouth practically fell to the floor.

"He's asleep." I whispered to her.

"You didn't-"

"No. He couldn't sleep last night, and I swear to God that his skin felt like ice. We didn't do anything, he just needed something warm to help him fall asleep, and I was the closest source."

She nodded and let us be, closing the door behind her. I didn't care what she was going to say to me later, but right now, this felt so...how should I put this? A strange sensation that made me feel safe.

His eyes were hidden, yet again. I understood why though, and now, this actually feels normal.

* * *

><p>"Does it fit?" Carrie asked as I looked over my new clothes that I was wearing.<p>

"Yes. I really like these clothes."

"Oh, really?" Her voice was a bit higher right now. "I'm glad."

Yesterday had been quite interesting for us. After we were taken to Pandora in Reveil, we were made an offer to join the organization. Both of us were agreed on the subject, and the deal was struck. After that, we went to some store that she had told me about. Carrie said the clothes that I picked out were indeed old fashioned, but had a modern twist.

That was yesterday, but this is a new day. I'm not quite sure what's on Carrie's mind as she returned home from school, but I knew what was on mine.

"Ah, I see you're reading a new book. You finished _Incarecron_?" She must of took notice of the book in my hands.

I nodded in answer to her question. "There's a sequel you know, it's called _Saphique_."

"Really? Hmm. _Timeline_, by Michael Crichton." She must of glanced at the book cover; a shadowed knight with the title written across the cover in bold red.

"Even though I don't quite understand the mechanics at the beginning, it's very intriguing."

"Yeah, we have all his books."

I smiled and Sasha appeared from around the corner. "Are you two ready or what?"

"Yup." Carrie replied as she finished doing the ties on her sweater jacket. I set the book down on the couch and followed them outside. Outside, the weather was nice, not cloudy, but still some clouds in the sky. According to what Carrie said, the temperature for today would be as high as 63 degrees, which was a good day by her standards.

Carrie had specifically asked Sasha to take us both to the library in town when she headed back for work. She accepted, but she didn't know that me and her were going to be meeting Maverick there for our first assignment. Yesterday, we had both agreed not to tell her that we had joined Pandora yet, but she'll know someday.

I recalled in my mind the phone call Carrie had received just a few minutes after she got back from school.

_(Flashback)_

_"Hey Carrie, it's for you." Sasha said, tossing the phone at her. She caught it and looked at Leo, who was reading a book on the couch._

_"Who could possibly be calling me?"_

_Leo shrugged at her question. She sighed as Sasha walked outside and put the phone to her ear. "If this is Albert, I swear, I'm gonna-"_

_"Hello Carrie-kun!" Maverick's voice rang through the phone and blaring into her ear._

_"Argh!" She jumped, surprised. "You ass!"_

_"Now that I have your attention, why don't you put it on speaker so Leo-kun can hear this too."_

_She pushed a button on the phone and set it down on the coffee table._

_"Alright, we're listening." Leo said, eyes on the new book he had started reading._

_"Right. We have your first assignment for the both of you." He explained. "But first, I need you two to come down to the library in Kara to properly discuss the matter. I'll meet you there in a half hour."_

_"Wait, I don't know if-" But Maverick hung up before she could finish._

_"Apparently not soon enough." Leo said. "Should we get going then?"_

_"Yeah, I can get Sasha to take us there when she goes back to work." She answered. "It's odd though. It's only been one day and we're already assigned to something."_

_(End flashback)_

As soon as we stepped off the carriage at the library, Sasha nodded her head to us and left. Other carriages were out and on the streets as we stood in front of the library. No one had stopped here since we got off, and, honestly, we were expecting someone to.

"I thought he said to meet him here." It was clear Carrie was becoming impatient. Ever since a few days ago, she had been acting a bit more like Elliot. This was just an observation. It wasn't like she was doing this on purpose. It was as if...this was part of her personality.

"Why, hello you two." A voice piped up from behind us. We turned to see Maverick and Tracy behind us, dressed in their normal attire and the blond caring a box in her hands.

"Don't you two look lovely." Tracy said. "You would look so cute together!"

A blush instantly spread across Carrie's face. "W-what? No, y-you see, we're only friends!"

"Don't tease them, Tracy." Maverick shushed her, then turning his attention back to us. "Now, why don't we go inside so we can talk about your assignment."

Me and Carrie exchanged a look, then walked inside with the two others.

* * *

><p>"Alright." Maverick said as we sat down at a table in a corner of the library. "I know it's rather quick for you, but this will be your first assignment as agents of Pandora. Tracy, if you would?"<p>

She nodded and untied the ribbon around the box, then opening it. Inside was a book about the same size.

Carrie peered in the box, then glared at Maverick. "Are you serious?"

"Very." He replied. "Not to long ago, this was received in Marriot."

"A book?" I asked.

"Yes, Leo." Tracy answered. "You see, this book contains some important information that hints at Oz Vessalius. This information could possibly shed some light on the riddle that is linked to him. And, I'm sure this would interest you too Leo."

"Why? I can't see how it would involve me."

She giggled at my question. "Well, there is mention of a certain...Elliot Nightray."

Carrie turned her attention to Tracy "What do you mean?"

"Well, you, Carrie, search for the truth of 200 years ago, and recently, you obtained information regarding this person. However, you still are missing some components to the puzzle, aren't you."

She narrowed her eyes at her, seemingly annoyed at what she said.

"What does this have to do with Elliot?" I asked, tension in my voice.

"We're not sure, but, rumor has it that this importation would reveal more truth as to the mystery of the Chain he was contracted with."

In that one moment, memories flashed through my mind. So many dark and painful memories. I found myself unable to breathe for that split second moment as I saw each memory.

"Leo?" Carrie's voice was faint and far away, as were the others.

"Ah, a memory of that person it seems." Maverick's voice echoed.

Those vivid memories were there, and sending pangs of pain throughout me. Things like this, they're unforgivable, and I...was the root of this suffering.

"Cut the crap." Carrie hissed. I looked at her, an icy blue stare in her eyes directed to Maverick and Tracy. "Why bring up such a thing, when you don't even comprehend his death? If you really know about Leo's past before I met him, then you would understand why he's saddened by these things."

"Carrie," I started, but she turned to me, a calmer expression, but the icy look in her eyes remained.

"It's alright. I know." She turned back to them. "Yeah, I know he died. I know it was by self sacrifice, the one thing that annoyed him. I...I kind of feel the same." Her hand curled into a fist. "I'm not sure, but, I will search for the truth, and if I have to fight for that, I will struggle against all odds, and I won't die."

Everyone was silent, and I just looked at Carrie in awe. At that moment, that had sounded just like something Elliot would have said, only she was more calm. _'That was...'_

"Well, now that that's settled. Let's get back to the task at hand." Maverick said, breaking the silence. "We need you two to deliver this book to the storage in Reveil where we keep the records."

"Why not just take it there now?" I asked.

"This town is on the way there, and you two aren't very susceptible of an attack if you do this. What, you think you've only been agents for one day and we'd send you off on a dangerous mission? Not at all, this is very simple, since it's only your first time."

"That certainly helps." Carrie sarcastically growled.

"Ah, Leo, we have something for you too!" Tracy exclaimed as Carrie was handed the book.

"What?"

She presented another box, smaller than the first one and opened it. When she did, I just stared at it for a moment while she smiled.

Inside the box, it was a little dusty, but it was my old gun.

"How did you...?" I picked it up carefully, recognizing each detail.

"We discovered it about two months ago. We knew it belonged to someone, but we just didn't know who. Upon closer inspection of the records, we learned it was yours."

"Whoa, wait?" Carrie looked at it too, then turning her gaze to me. "This gun is yours?"

I nodded. "Yes. I would carry it with me all the time, even at Lutwidge. I felt obligated to have some sort of protection for myself and Elliot."

"Oh, I see."

"You two should get going." Tracy piped up. "Even though this mission is simple, be careful."

"Now then, Tracy and I should head back to headquarters. Tracy only came so she could get out of the paperwork we have to do regarding the Northridge case." Maverick nudged the blond, who didn't seem happy to be reminded. She muttered something under her breath, then walked away.

"Right then." Carrie sighed, tightening her grip on the book. "Come on, Leo. We've gotta head to Reveil."

* * *

><p>"So, that's where they're heading, huh?" A girl in a cloak said.<p>

"Apparently, yes." Another person also wearing a cloak replied.

"Hmm. And the other one with that girl? Is that egg shell of a boy back together?"

"Judging by his face and his calm aura, yes."

"But that means he has answers we're striving for." She chuckled and spun around. "Dan, this will prove to be quite an interesting outing."

* * *

><p>"It's gonna take us at least a half hour to get to Reveil. We're just lucky Maverick and Tracy provided us with transporation." I said, holding the reins in my hands. I knew very well how to stear horses, it wasn't that hard. "You got your gun ready, just in case?"<p>

He nodded and showed me it, hidden under his coat. "Ready, but I'm just teling you now, I'm not a good shot."

"As long as you can actually try and hit something, be careful with that though."

This country road was moderatly open, so I did doubt that we would be attacked, otherwise we might see them before they could even begin. This was the shortest acess road to Reveil, going by a large medow with trees on ether side of the road.

I was a little bit hesitant as to calling us out on a book delivery, however, this book was to be taken to the where the records are stored, which is somewhere in Reveil. Apparently, this book holds some hidden secrets that have ties to Oz Vessalius and some myserious riddle that involves him.

_'I've never heard of any riddles mentioned in the records, but if it's in this book, what exactly is this riddle?'_

"Do you think there's any possiblity of getting attcked by theives or anything?" Leo asked after a few minutes of ridding along on the road.

I turned my head to him, our faces close becuase he was sitting right next to me.

I blushed a little before answering, not really used to someone this close to me. "Um, I don't really know for sure. Like Tracy said, this may seem like a simple task, but we need to be on our gaurd."

"A possiblity always exists."

"I know that. Different possibilties exist, no matter the sittuation."

"Aw, such cute words from a pretty mouth like yours." My eyes widened at this new voice, and we both turned aorund to see a cloaked figure on top of the carriage, their hazel eyes looking down on us. "Your beliefs are right."

I pulled on the riens to make the horses stop just as they lunged towards me. Whoever this person was, they were strong!

"Carrie!" I heard Leo say as I landed on the ground, the force of the impact knocking the air from my lungs. It left me dizzy as I saw him jump down from the carrigae, but someone came up from behind him and pinned him to the ground.

"W-who are you guys?" I struggled to say.

The one who had attcked me first smiled and pulled the hood of their cloak off their head. "I'm Heather, and my friend over there is Dan."

For some reason I couldn't understand, there was a werid look in her eyes. I noticed that the person she called Dan had revealed their face as well, almost silver eyes blankly watching this scene.

"What do you want with us?" I managed to say to Heather.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing from you. It's what you have."

"You want that book." Leo spoke up, even though he was pressed to the ground.

"Well, you're very smart indeed." Heather chuckled. "Now, mind telling us as to where it's hidden? We know it's here and you know where."

"Heh. Sorry to disapoint you, but we're on a mission." I looked over to Leo. He must of known that I was formulating a plan, because he slowly nodded to me. "And we don't intend to fail!"

My chest didn't hurt with the same pain as when I'd been pushed to the ground, so I spang up and grabbed Heather's arms and pinned them behind her back. She tried with all her might to strugle, but I wasn't about to let her go.

"Dan! Help me." Sure enough, he let go of Leo.

"Leo! The book!" I yelled, letting go of her and hopping back onto the carriage as Dan nearly collided with her.

"A diversion?"

I was starting to climb back up to the driver's seat, when he grabbed the back of my shirt, trying to pull me down. I let out a growl and kicked him in the chest, making him let go of my shirt. But when he fell down, I saw Heather approch the carriage.

"Dammit." I sneered. When her hand closed on the handle of the door, I takled her, trying to get her away. She over powered me this time though and pushed me back. I got up as she turned from me, ready to attack her again, but I didn't notice the dagger her had in her hand till she turned back around.

***Bang***

The sound of a gunshot made us all stop. Everything was in a cold silence, until Heather looked at her shoulder to see a red stain forming there.

"W-what the-" She didn't finish as she collapsed, Dan running up to catch her. I took one look at them and took this opportunity to get back up into the drivers seat, Leo up there too. I snapped the reins and the horses took off, leaving those two behind.

"That was you right?" I asked as soon as I was sure they were out of sight.

"Yes. It was rather surprising to see I actually hit something, even though I haven't used my gun in a while." Leo replied. "But you didn't get hit ether, right? You were in the path and I was worried it would of hit you instead."

"No, I'm fine." Actually, my arm did sting a little, but that didn't matter right now. Those two wouldn't cause us anymore trouble...for now it seems.

* * *

><p>"Thank God, we made it to Reveil!" Carrie said, breathing out a sigh of releif.<p>

"Those people from before didn't follow us here at least." I said.

"Yeah, that's true." She pulled on the reins slightly, making the horses slow down. "Hey, do you have any clue as to where we're suposed to deliver this to?"

"The place where they store the records, of course."

"I know that, Leo. But where that is exactly is what I'm saying."

She was getting iritated, but I didn't really mind, it never lasted long with her. Still, it takes me back. At that time, things were peaceful, and even though those memories are shadowed, they were still good memories worth trying to hold onto.

"I blame those two for not leaveing us with any sense of direction as to where we deliver this book to." She sighed, annoyance lingering in her voice.

We continued through the city, trying to think of any possible location as to where we were supossed to devliver the book. Finally, I suggested we look at a library that we passed earlier. Carrie was hesitant on looking there, just because it wasn't really of any interest to people, but then she gave in to my suggestion, saying that the best place to hide it is in plain sight.

When we found the library, we both looked at it for a few minutes. It was built similar to the one in Kara, but bigger. We exchanged a look before Carrie opened the carriage and removed the book, hidden in a secret compartment under one of the seats.

Walking in, Carrie gasped at the imense space inside the library. "Whoa! It's like the time I went to 's Library in South Lolii."

"It must be big then." I inquired.

She laughed. "It doesn't look like it from the outside, but it's like this on the inside."

We continued on, Carrie sugesting that we look in the upper section of the library because all the historical reference books are there. Once we got there, we were surounded by row after row of books. It was quite odd though, there was barely anyone here, maybe because this was such a big library.

"Argh! This is madening!" Carrie exclaimed out of frustration after reaching the end of another row. "There's nowhere this book could go."

While she was venting her frustration, I was looking at the books for some sort of clue. They were orgainzied in a very interesting maner, each haveing a number. Each book in numerical oder, lined up one after the other...

I saw a fimilar number on one of the books; 337

"Carrie, can I see the book?" I asked.

Her face returned to its normal expersion, looked at the book, then handed it to me. "What is it?"

I looked at the bottom of the book's spine to see a number engraved in it.

"This is the same number as this book here." I said, gesturing towrds the book I'd been looking at only a few moments ago.

Carrie tilted her head to the side and looked at the number on the book, then to the one I'd been looking at. She narrowed her eyes and pulled out the book, then glancing up.

"Ah!" She started digging though her pocket until she pulled out the pendent she'd been given. We had each recived one as a symbol that we worked for Pandora. "It's so simple!"

Now I was the one who was confused, but I glanced at what she had been looking at and realized what she was thinking. "There's a socket here that fits the shape of the pendent."

"I know." She replied, putting her pendent in the socket. It made a small click as she did and she stepped back. We waited for a few minutes, but nothing happened.

"That's strange, I'm sure that would of-" I stopped when I heard something move, and we turned around to see a bookcase that had been up against the wall moving off to the side. I walked over to see what was behind it, and I saw that there was a spiral staircase there.

"Carrie, these steps lead down." I called over to her.

Carrie smiled and walked over to see the staircase as well. "Good work, Leo."

* * *

><p>"Not much light down here." I muttered, carefuly making my way down the staircase, Leo foolowing behind me. "Watch your step."<p>

Unfourtunatly, when we got to the bottom of the staircase, my feet tripped up and I started to fall forward. However, Leo grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back up, saving me from falling face first into the stone floor.

"Thanks." I sheepishly said.

"No problem. Sort of deja vu, you know?"

The memory of the day we met flashed through my mind. "Yeah, I know."

Feeling along the wall, my hand stumbled upon a light switch. Without hesitation, I turned the switch, lighting up a big room filled with books, documents, and many other things. I looked around for a moment before looking back at the book Leo was carring, then turning my eyes to him.

"These must be where the records are stored." I inquired. "Only accesable by members of Pandora."

"If that's true," Leo said as we walked into the room. "then how do people know if they're kept under lock and key?"

"No one would dare leave the actual records without a lock. Each library must has a copy of the records, storied in books." I inquired.

Seeing a table, I set down the book. I took a look at it, noticing the cover of it, no title. I bit on my lower lip, and put my hand on the cover, opening it slightly.

"What are you doing?" Leo asked, walking over to me.

"I think we deserve to know what's in here if those two people wanted it so badly." I opened the book and a few pages with it. I scaned some pages, not really interesting things here, but I stopped when I saw something written with a photograph of Oz Vessalius.

"What's this?" I glanced down at the writing next to the photo, my eyes widening slightly at the writing.

_When the one whom we await descends upon the promise land, the bell will toll to break the silence. The blade of a friend glitters crimson, and the drops carve a path to a dstant place..._

"This is..." I remebered what they said before to us, how there was a riddle about Oz Vessalius. I think this is it. I'm not entirerly sure, but this doesn't seem like a riddle.

"More like a phrophecy to me." Leo said.

"Looks that way, doesn't it?" I took another look, trying to figure out a meaning, but I couldn't just stand here forever. Taking out my cell phone, I turned the camera on and took a picture of the photograph and the writing. "Hey, what's here?"

I saw another photograph sticking out of the back of the book. Pulling it out, I saw a group of people, one of them I reconised as Leo. "Ah! Leo, look."

"I remember this picture." He smiled at the photograph, clearly recalling the day it was taken. It seemed like a moment frozen in time, a perfect stand still moment. Every one of their expressions was different, and I found myself laughing at a few of them. When my eyes fell back to where Leo was, it seemed like he was trying to get someone in the picture with him, one who looked annoyed.

"Hey, Leo, who's this?"

He looked at the person I was talking about. "Oh. That's Elliot."

I looked to Leo, then back at the photograph. "I see. I can see why you called me by his name when you woke up at the hospital."

_'We look so...similar.' _I had to admit, it was true. Our hair color, eye color, each feature of our faces; it was almost like looking in a mirror. Even though I should leave this picture here, I'll take it anyways and frame it at home, mainly beacuse I think that something like this shouldn't be kept hidden on dust.

"Okay, let's get out of here." I closed the book and we walked back towards the entrance, until my eyes caught sight of a name.

"Carrie?" I didn't really hear him as I looked at the bookshelf next to me. On it was a small book with a name written on it; Anastasia. There was some nostalgic feeling as I looked at it, and a sudden impulse made me grab it from the shelf.

"I'm comming."

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you should of taken that book?" Leo asked me as I started to open the little journal. Me and him were outside the libray, resting up before we went back to Kara.<p>

"Come on, what's the harm." I opened it and read the first few paragraphs to myself.

_My name is Anastasia. What I have written in here is the recorded events of not only my adventures, but tales of a girl trapped in a tower, two friends who seem like opposites, and my best friend._

_I'll start with him, because that's why I got this journal. My best friend is a very sickly boy who can be very shy and stubborn sometimes. Like I've said, his health is poor, but he'll go outside against his parent's wishes. Although, on occasions, if he stays outside for too long in summer or winter, he'll get very sick. Ah, I feel sorry for him. I remember a time where he was so ill that he almost died. Another time he was bedridden for almost five months! I was so worried that I visited him every day._

_Still though, he's a good friend. Even though I stay near the Vessalius house and I still go to see him. Over time, I've...I've grown to like him more than just a friend, and I wouldn't hesitate to draw my sword and protect him._

Reading this short entry about this girl and her friend, I too felt pity for him. Yet, it said she was willing to protect him. What she said seemed familar to me, like from someplace like a dream.

_"If you want to know what's worth dying for, him. I'll die to protect him."_

Ah, again with this? This is getting tiersome. Sometimes, I would hear stuff like this at ramdom in my head. And, lately, I noticed that I had started to hear them more offten after I met Leo. I sighed and put a hand to my head in frustration.

"Carrie, are you alright?"

"Hmm?" I turned my head up to Leo. "I'm fine, just spacing out."

As I closed the journal though, the words written there and the ones I heard were still lingering in my mind.

* * *

><p>Now that we were back home, all I wanted to do was read, today was tiersome. Carrie had gone out to buy some thing, but I wasn't paying any attention.<p>

"Leo, guess what." I looked up from my book at her voice, which meant she had just returned from town. So much for relaxing. "I just bought this for you."

She took something off the table in the kitchen and I saw that it was some kind of-

"That's...!" What she was holding out for me was my outfit that I usualy wore. Every piece of clothing was there, all down to the red ribbon around the collar. "I used to wear this. How did you get that?"

"Ah, really?" She shook her head, trying her best not to get off topic. "This just arrived at a store I go to sometimes. I thought you'd like it."

"Thanks, I-" Wait, something was off here. "Um, why did you buy that?"

She seemed to blush, but a smile spread across her face. "Leo, you're gonna be my date to the school dance this Friday whether you like it or not!"

_'Eh?'_

**I thought that would be fun. And by the way, the journal Carrie now has holds important information that will be explained later in the story. Plz feel free to reveiw if you want to.**


	13. Two Dancers in the Night

**Back at school, but it's still boring. Before the story begins, this may seem to be a filler chapter, but the ending leads into the next chapter and is very important. This one took me so long to write (Ugh, more than a week!), and it's the longest chapter so far, but I think it payed off. Also, it takes place three days after the previous chapter.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts.**

Chapter 12: Two Dancers In The Night

"Hey, Leo, you ready?"

He opened the door and I was in utter shock, like my mouth was just hanging open. He was dressed in his outfit I'd gotten for him, which happened to be the same one he wore back in his time; a black mod suit with a red ribbon around the collar of his white undershirt. It was so old fashioned, and it looked absolutely amazing on him. I was literally frozen in place by how stunning he looked, I couldn't even comprehend it.

"Wow, Leo. You look, um, well..." I couldn't find words to say.

"Heh...it's alright. Whatever you were going to say, I thank you." He said, smiling warmly at me. "You look beautiful yourself."

I blushed. "Thanks."

As for myself, I was wearing a black dress with hints and swirls of maroon and a ribbon around my waist of the same color, my stripped stockings, black knee high boots, black fingerless gloves, and a light gray lace bolero jacket. My hair was pulled back into a French braid and my black cross earrings brushed against my face from time to time.

Even though he said I looked beautiful, he was more beautiful than me, and I liked that.

"Well, anyways," I cleared my throat. "You ready? We've got to get going."

"Yes."

* * *

><p>The sun was just setting as we walked outside to the carriage, casting a pallet of colors across the sky, seeming like it was on fire or glowing. I was glowing as well, my heart was glowing with absolute joy. Never in my life had I been or wanted to go to a school dance, but for some reason, I was going, and with one of my closest friends too. At first, Leo had seemed hesitant about going to the dance when I asked him, but now here we were.<p>

"Ah, I forgot something." Leo said as he stopped walking.

"Leo!" I exclaimed, wondering what in the world he was doing as he ran back inside the house. A few moments later, he returned with a box.

"Sorry, Sasha told me this is important." He showed me the box and I could actually feel tears stinging my eyes. Inside the box was a lovely pink corsage.

"This is...for me?" I anxiously asked. He smiled at me and opened the box.

"Of course it is." He took out the corsage and put it in my hair. His hand then moved down to my face. "Why are you crying?"

_'I'm crying?'_

"N-no, I'm not c-crying."

I heard him laugh softly and he wiped the tears from my eyes. "I don't see why you're denying, it's alright to cry."

"Thanks. I'm alright now." I softly said. He smiled and we got into the carriage. As we left the house, even though he looked and acted calm, I could tell he was a bit nervous. Maybe I should have told him about the dance sooner instead of leaving him with three days to make up his mind. In the beginning, I felt guilty for just outright saying he was going to be my date to the dance no mater what, because of that, I apologized and said he didn't have to be my date if he didn't want to. But yesterday, he accepted my offer.

_(Flashback)_

_"Hey, Leo, can I come in?" She asked, knocking on the door of Leo's room._

_"Yes." Carrie opened the door to find Leo laying on his bed reading. He turned the page and turned his head to her._

_"Can I talk to you about something?"_

_"Of course." He turned his attention back to the book as she sat next to him. He might of looked like his attention was to the book, but she knew he could read and listen to her at the same time._

_She cleared her throat and began. "I was thinking that, well, I was kind of demanding of you when I said you were going to be my date to the school dance whether you liked it or not." Carrie knew she was blushing, not really sure how to handle something like this. "I shouldn't have done that. I should of let you decide on your own. So, um, I...I'll leave it to you whether to accept my offer or not."_

_He turned another page, not glancing up at her once. "You just jumped into the situation too quickly, that's all. You have nothing to feel guilty about."_

_She looked away from him and down at the floor. "Well, m-my offer still st-stands." _

_**'Why am I stuttering? Am I nervous about talking to him?' **__She shook these thoughts from her mind and stood up._

_"I'll leave it up for...f-for you to decide."_

_She didn't notice that he'd looked up from the book. "Carrie-"_

_"You don't have to if you don't want to." _

_~ y~_

_"Carrie, what are you doing?" Leo asked her, looking over her shoulder at her homework._

_"Ah, Leo." She said, glancing up at him with a light smile. "Just some French homework."_

_Carrie watched as he looked at the paper. "It doesn't look that hard."_

_"Easy for you to say." She said sarcastically._

_He smiled in return and pulled up a chair next to her. "Hey, I could help if you want, but I want to tell you something first."_

_"What would that be?"_

_He took out a folded note from his pocket and handed it to her. Her face showed confusion first, but then switched to surprise when she read the note._

_"You..." She could feel her cheeks heat up as she read it again, turning to Leo. "You want to go to the dance with me?"_

_"I thought it over after you left last night and decided. I'll go with you."_

_She blinked for a moment, before breaking out into a smile. "Oh, Leo!"_

_This time, his face turned red as she wrapped her arms around him. Slowly, he returned the embrace to her. His heartbeat had sped up, since he wasn't used to someone being this close to him, but it didn't really mater to him at this moment._

_(End flashback)_

* * *

><p>When we arrived at Carrie's school, it didn't really look like much; a flat one story building. Pepole were filtering into it though, so quite a few people must be attending this dance. Carrie opened the door, carefully stepping down from the carriage, and I followed after her.<p>

The air outside wasn't that warm, but it wasn't cold ether. I looked over to see Carrie holding out her arm to me, a light smile on her face. I was about to take her arm in return, since it would seem like the proper thing to do, but I felt a sudden headache coming on. She looked at me with confusion when I put a hand to my head.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Yes, I'm alright." I managed to say. I winced and the throbbing in my head died down a bit.

"Just take my arm." She chuckled. I took her arm, remembering the day she brought me to her house. For some reason though, it felt different from that time, like a much warmer feeling, something I'd ever hardly felt in my life.

Walking inside, Carrie was then greeted by a few of her friends, who in turn eventually bombarded her with questions about me.

"Ah, is this him?"

"His name is Leo, right?"

"This is your date? Jeez, way to pick out a cutie like this."

"Look at his hands, I wonder if he plays piano?"

"Think you two could pull of the title of 'king and queen'?"

"Carrie, have you asked him to be your boyfriend yet?"

"Alright, enough you guys!" Carrie snapped, obviously annoyed with them. "Come on, Leo. Let's go get something to drink."

She did look a little irritated, but she was calming down as we walked across a room to the far side of it, a few more people just simple greeting Carrie as we walked by. Here, it was semi-dark, music everywhere, and there were many people dancing about. Where we had walked to had a table with some glasses of water on it.

"Here." She said, handing me a glass. "Sorry about my friends from earlier. I swear, it's like they want to know everything about my life."

"It's alright. They didn't mean any harm, they were just wondering about me."

She nodded, leaning up against a wall. "I suppose you're right."

I looked around at all the people, then back to Carrie. "By the way, you don't seem very interested, so why did you want to come?"

She remained silent for a moment, her eyes looking down, but then turned them up to answer me. "Don't know. I guess...I just wanted to. I mean, I don't generally enjoy these kinds of events, but for some reason, I really wanted to this time."

"To earn this so called 'title'?"

Her eyes widened for the slightest second at this question. "No, not that. Besides, I...there's no way I could ever achieve such a thing."

"You could, and you know that quite well. If you really wanted it, you could achieve it."

She looked at me with slight surprise, as if no one had ever said that to her before. "I, um, that's...thanks, Leo."

She opened her mouth to say something, but she stopped as soon as the song changed, and a new tune started.

"What is-"

"This song...it's my favorite!" She exclaimed. "What, you think just because I like ambient stuff I can't like other bands?"

"Well, what's this song?" She smiled brightly at my question.

"One of my favorites, from a really cool rock band." She then grabbed my hand, surprising me. "Come on, let's dance!"

"Eh?" Before I knew it, the song had picked up in tempo slightly and Carrie dragged me out into the middle of the dance floor.

"This will be fun." She piped up above the music.

"But, I can't dance." I tried saying to her, but she didn't seem to care.

"That's alright, follow my lead. Think of it as a modernized waltz."

She first pulled close to me, still holding my hand, then stepping away. Her feet moved with such grace on the polished wood floor. Next, she let go of my hand and twirled once, then standing still. She smiled and skipped back to me. Carrie took my hand again and she gabbed hold of my shoulder with her other hand, making me move from my spot when she spun again. I don't know what happened, but we were now back to back, and she raised her hand up, which was still locked with mine. She glanced over her shoulder at me, smiling gently.

She turned me around to face her, and then seemed to mouth words in tune with the song.

I'm not sure of what was happening in those few minutes, but we moved apart from each other, out hands keeping us connected. Her lips still moved, mouthing words. We were dancing in perfect harmony, even though I didn't know what I was doing.

She twirled around as I held her hand, but as the music softened, she came back towards me, letting me put my arm around her to stop her. Although, I could feel my cheeks heat up as I noticed how close we were to each other, her blue eyes looking up at me.

The beat of the song picked up again, and we were broken from our standstill moment.

_'I think I'm getting the hang of this.'_ I thought as we continued to dance.

After we danced to the majority of the song, nearing the end, we found ourselves facing each other again, a little bit closer. We were both standing facing each other and out of breath from dancing since the song had changed melody and had slowed down. Carrie started to smile, then she chuckled, but then we both broke out into laughter.

I knew people had watched us, but it really didn't matter at this point.

"Ah, ha-ha! That was, well, great." She panted.

"Yeah, although, I wasn't very good."

"Nonsense, you were fine." She insisted.

"Hey, Carrie!" One of her friends called over.

"Oh, hey, Grace." Carrie said as she walked over to us.

"That was so cool!" She then looked at me. "So, this is Leo. He's your date, right?"

She blushed a bit before answering. "Alright! Yes, this is Leo, and yes, he's my date."

"Knew it, girl!"

She sighed with annoyance and glanced back at me. "Hey, let's get some drinks. You look worn out."

I nodded as an answer to her offer. "That would be nice."

Grace joined us as we walked over and got glasses of water, listening to the song fade out. I leaned up against the wall, just as Carrie had done earlier, taking a sip from the glass.

"Hey, is he alright?" I heard Grace ask as I closed my eyes for a second.

"He's fine. Let's just say, he's not really used to this. He hasn't been to too many dances before."

_"He never really liked these kinds of events."_

_"Come on, dance with me. It will help, I'm sure of it!"_

I bit my lower lip as, remembering the first one. I overheard Elliot say this to Oz-kun on the night of the ceremony, kind of stunned at this. The second one...I don't know. It was different than any of the voices of my memories, but yet, it seemed familiar.

I opened my eyes and saw Carrie leaning on the wall next to me, her trademark gentle smile across her face.

_'This isn't so bad after all.'_

* * *

><p>After our little dance during a song, we didn't really do much for the next half hour, besides drinking from our glasses of water and watching people dance. Grace had left us after a few minutes, and I didn't really mind just standing away from the crowd. Actually, the two of us here was relaxing enough.<p>

"Well, well, who do we have here?" My closed eyes snapped open, recognizing that voice. So much for just watching the crowd peacefully.

"Now what, Albert?" I growled.

"Oh, nothing." He replied, a mocking tone in his voice. "I see you brought your friend. He your date?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "So what if he is?"

"I just hope you're not thinking you can win the title with that stupid getup and that guy as your date."

Okay, I've had it. "Eat cake, you jerk!" I picked up a piece of cake and threw it right in his face. Leo saw this and laughed at the cake smeared all over Albert's face. I grinned widely as I watched him franticly trying to wipe the cake off this face and clothes.

"You! Don't think this is the end, and don't think you can't get that title ether!" With that, he stormed off, and I leaned back against the wall again.

"That guy had it coming." Leo said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah."

"Okay everyone, listen up!" I turned my head to see Grace standing out in the middle of the crowd and holding a microphone, everyone's eyes on her. (I might of forgot to mention she's the student council president.) "Since this is the Homecoming Dance, I will now announce the winners of Homecoming king and queen!"

Leo straightened up and grabbed my hand suddenly, a smile on his face. "Come on, Carrie."

"Wait-" But before I knew it, he'd dragged me out into the crowd of people watching and awaiting her announcement.

"And now, the results of the voting!" I looked over to my left to see Albert with his date, traces of cake still on him. He stuck his tongue out at me and I rolled my eyes. He looked quite confident with himself, which annoyed me.

_'He doesn't deserve it.' _I thought bitterly, knowing it would probably be him. Leo squeezed my hand gently and I looked back at him, the same smile as always. I smiled back lightly, letting him know it was okay, and he let go.

"Oh!" Grace gasped. We looked over to her to see surprise on her face. Her eyes caught mine own and she grinned widely at both of us.

I could read the message reflected in her eyes. _'No way...'_

"This is a surprise! The sentimental couple of tonight, Carrie and Leo!"

I went rigid as she said our names, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Albert's mouth drop at this. Everyone's claps were like distant echoes, but I shook my head and it brought me back to reality, now hearing them clearly.

"Eh?" I exclaimed, shocked at this. "But, I'm not-"

"Girl, everyone knows about you two by now. Besides, something like this, after everything you've done for the school, not to mention your story with this guy, this is way overdue. And he did save you."

I glanced at Leo, who also looked surprised. Beyond all this, I started to hear a faint humming of a song, gradually becoming known. "Still, I-"

"Listen Carrie." Leo suddenly said. "Do you remember this song?"

I took his advice and listened to the hum. It was just like the beginning to...

"Huh? This song is-!"

"Yeah, we know; it's one of your favorite songs from that post-rock band. We know you like them, and this song seemed to fit perfectly for you two. Go on and dance."

I looked back at Leo as Grace disappeared into the watching people. "Um, this is a slow song, and would you, um-"

I was stopped short as Leo held out his hand to me. "I understand. May I have this dance, Carrie?"

Tears stung my eyes, but I took his hand anyway. "Yes."

As the song started to progress in its melody, he put his arms around me, while I put my arms around his neck, my hands becoming entangled in his long dark hair. I tried to calm down as I got a little closer, my heart beating faster now. I blinked and closed my eyes as the song got lighter, trying my best to relax, but inside, I felt lighter somehow, like a dark cloud had been driven away by the sun.

"Hey, Leo?" I asked, our bodies beginning to move on their own, like we already knew how.

"What? Are you alright?"

"Mph? Yeah, I'm just- thanks."

"For what?"

"Being my friend. To me, you're someone...someone special to me. Thank you."

"I should be saying the same."

"Eh?"

"Carrie, thank you." He said in his usual soft tone. "You've opened my eyes to so many things. You are the kindest person and I think of you as...a close friend."

The song came into it's pivotal moment, and I, through some sudden urge, got closer and rested my head on his chest. He didn't flinch, but pulled me even closer instead, his arms still around me. At this one moment in time, me and Leo so close to each other, it was like the world wasn't here, like everything had melted away, and it was just us that was left. We stayed like that throughout the melody, silent to each other and anyone else.

As it softened, I turned my head up to meet Leo's eyes, even though they were hidden by glasses. Weird, huh? I felt like I was looking at those deep night sky pools, even if I couldn't see them. I just felt like they were there, the windows into our souls reflecting into each other, distant memories in different times.

I let my head rest back were it was, and for the longest time, I felt as if I was walking on air.

* * *

><p>Only an hour had passed since we arrived, and Carrie seemed so quiet. Maybe she was still stunned by the sudden proclamation that we had won the title. And the dance that followed, that was still fresh in my mind; how we seemed to move on our own, Carrie whispering words to me, and her head resting on me throughout the song...<p>

_'I don't know why, but, this warm feeling in my chest...it was there during that dance when she rested her head on me.'_ I wondered. _'Is it because of her...?'_

Another song was now playing, and I found myself humming to it, a nice melody and lyrics accompanied by instruments I've never heard. It seemed to be a fast paced song to these people, but I was waiting for Carrie, who went off with one of her friends to talk about something, mostly congratulating her.

I continued to hum the song, but I stopped when I felt a dull throbbing in my head. _'Oh, great.'_

"Hey." I suddenly heard Carrie's voice pipe up. "Sorry about that."

"No, it's okay." I replied. "Hey, this song is nice. Whoever this is by, they're pretty good. The vocalist for this song is good too." I noticed that my voice had become strained on the last few words.

"Something wrong?" She asked, noticing the change on my voice.

"No, just a bit of a headache." That was true, but I think it's getting worse.

She turned her eyes downward, then back at me. "Let's go somewhere less crowded then. Maybe it's 'cause you're not used to being around so many people."

We walked out to the entrance to the school, and I leaned up against the glass window that viewed the people on the other side.

"You're not sick again, are you?" Carrie asked as I took a deep breath.

I glanced at her, those blue eyes glistening in the lights. "I'm not, I assure you, Carrie."

"Guess you're not really used to these kinds of things, huh?"

I nodded and took a step forward away from the glass, but my vision blurred for the slightest second, and I almost tripped. Fortunately, I regained my balance at the last second. She glanced up at me and opened her mouth to say something, but Grace came up behind her, grabbing her shoulder and starting to drag her away. I couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

"Grace! Let go of me." She commanded, removing her hand.

"Come on! We're gonna pull a prank on Jesse!"

She sighed with annoyance. "Okay, fine. Give me a minute." She looked back at Grace, then to me.

"Go ahead, I'll be fine here." I reassured her.

"Okay." There was slight hesitation in her voice. "Maybe you should go outside for a minute though, get some fresh air to help clear your head."

"Carrie, come on!" Grace called again. Carrie rushed off to meet her, and I waited till she was gone to walk outside.

The night air was cooler than it had been earlier today, and I had to admit, it did help, the throbbing in my head now subsiding. I looked out into the stars, seen clearly due to the lack of clouds in the nights sky. A breeze went by that scattered the leaves on the ground, blowing them in an almost circular motion.

A crackle of a leaf made me turn my head. It had sounded as if someone stepped on a leaf, making it crumble underneath their foot. I expected to see someone, but there was no one else but me.

_'I must be imagining things.' _

I breathed in, but then the noise came again, and I felt like someone was coming closer.

"Who's-" But I then felt a something hit me on the back of my head, sending pain across my skull. It became so intense that I fell to my knees, grasping the back of my head.

"Aw, you're hurt." I saw someone approach, but my vision was starting to haze. "Don't worry, I'll help you."

There was a sinister tone in this person's voice as they then proceeded to remove my glasses from my face. Finally, the pain became enough and the last thing I saw before passing out was those hazel eyes, twisted with a dark goal.

"You are..."

* * *

><p>"Dude, take a picture!" Someone said to me. I laughed, taking the picture that reflected Jesse's surprised face. Oh, too good!<p>

"Here." I said, returning the camera to Grace, who looked at the just taken picture.

"This is so going in the yearbook!"

I smiled, the satisfaction of our own prank. Sure, she'd be mad at us, but she'd get over it. It wasn't that-

_Badump_

An ominous feeling started to sweep over me. I couldn't explain it, but for some reason, I was becoming increasingly nervous. I felt that the source of this feeling was nearby, the first thing coming to mind being...

Leo.

I couldn't muster any words, but shifted my eyes down to the floor and started to walk away.

"Carrie, where you going?" I turned back to Grace, forcing a light smile onto my face.

"Back to Leo. He's still not feeling very well and I don't want to leave him alone."

I quickly hurried off, wanting to find him as quick as possible, make sure he's alright. He wasn't in the entrance, then I remembered what I said to him before I left. I opened the doors and looked outside, looking around for any trace of him. There was nothing here.

_'Leo, where are you?' _I thought desperately.

My eyes then caught sight of something on the ground. I looked at them more closely and saw that they were Leo's glasses. I picked them up and stared at the glassy surface, feeling that something was very wrong here. Leo rarely took his glasses off.

_'What if something happened? Well, he couldn't have gone too far.' _I really didn't care about anything else at the moment, I needed to find him. Without hesitation, the same feeling came back and I dashed off, letting this feeling guide me. However, my movements didn't feel like my own, like something was pulling me towards my destination.

Continuing on, I came to the woods, the moon casting slits of light within, broken by the branches of many trees, which soon became clearer upon reaching a clearing.

I've been here once or twice before, and it still looked the same as always; an empty clearing with the ruins of an old well. This place always had a strange feeling, but it felt just a bit more stranger tonight. It was like shadows were lurking there waiting for me, and yet watching me very carefully, as if waiting for me to do something.

Suddenly felt like someone had just ran behind me, but when I turned around, there was no one there. I scanned over the area with my eyes, the only thing ahead of me being a dark wood. Something landed onto the ground behind me, and I turned around, my eyes widening at the sight.

Leo was lying on the ground in front of me, both his arms tied behind his back.

"Leo!"

He stirred at the mention of his name and brought his head up to me. "Carrie...?"

"Are you alr-"

"Wait, Carrie. Listen, it's them again." It almost sounded as if he was trying to warn me of something.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's-"

"Don't spoil it boy!" A voice rang out. From the shadows, someone came up behind Leo and grabbed his long hair, making him let out a small gasp as she pulled it back. Her hazel eyes were looking right at me, and I remember whose those were.

"Heather." I hissed.

"Hello again, Carrie." She replied. "Nice dress you got."

"Well, you did interrupt our night at my school's homecoming dance."

"But you're here now." She suddenly turned her head back to the woods. "Dan! Mark!"

Upon her call, two boys came out from behind the trees. The brunette I recognized imminently as Dan, but the boy with the flat blond hair was new, so this must be Mark. His face held no emotion, but his eyes showed a wavering.

"Now, we may have failed the last time, but you happen to hold the information we seek." Dan spoke.

What are you talking about?" I questioned. "What information?"

"It regards Glen Baskerville." A quiet voice said. I turned my gaze upon Mark, his eyes looking downward.

I knew very well who this person was, sometimes thought of to be more of a spirit than a person. He was the one that orchestrated the Tragedy of Sablier and no one really knows why. Rumors have it that it was because he thought there was nothing left after he lost Lacie, and another says that Alice was his daughter. There is also a known fact that his best friend was Jack Vessalius.

I however, also know that the 'container' for Glen's soul 100 years after the Tragedy of Sablier is my friend, Leo, who at the moment is being held captive by these people.

"Ah, you look cold boy." Heather smirked. This brought me out of my thoughts and I saw the Leo was shivering slightly.

"No, I'm fine." He denyed.

"Just relax. Probably still remainder of the Abyss' energy that lingers on you, that's what's making you cold."

"Wait? You know I came from the Abyss?"

"Maybe." She made a face that read 'wasn't me', but I didn't care.

"Aw, shut up. Let's get back to the current topic. So, how does this involve us?" If I can get some answers out of them, I can concentrate my efforts on rescuing Leo.

A grin formed on Heather's lips. "I think you know. You see, your friend here possesses a certain talent."

_'Talent? What does she mean by-'_

"If you won't answer, I'm sure he will." She then let go of his hair and instead, reached for his bangs that covered his eyes, pulling them back and exposing those deep lilac eyes.

"Now, boy, you can still see them, right?"

I saw his eyes widen as they quickly darted around the clearing. "Please, stop it." His voice trembled. "I don't want to see them!"

"Um, Heather-san, maybe you should let go." Mark suggested quietly. Heather chose to ignore him instead.

"You can still see them, can't you? You see golden lights all around us!"

"Stop it! I don't want to see..." He shut his eyes tightly in an effort to avoid seeing them.

"Let go! You're hurting him!" I exclaimed.

Heather's smile vanished and she let go, letting his bangs fall back over his eyes. Leo let out a sigh of relief, knowing those lights were gone. "Very well, I've gotten part of my answer from him."

"I don't care. Let him go."

She shook her head and drew something from her pocket. "Too bad."

She got on her knees next to him and wrapped her arm around him. I let out a gasp when I saw that she was holding a dagger to his throat.

"What?"

"It's alright." Dan reassured me. "She won't kill him, right Heather?"

She cast back a glare to him, then looked back at me. "You have this information we desire, Carrie. But, first, answer me this."

"What's your game?"

She ignored my question and went on with hers. "If you had to die to save someone, could you?"

I blinked before answering. "I don't believe in self-sacrifice. Because, to move forward, I can't be weighed down by petty things like this. You struggle, resist, and move forward; that's all there is."

"Is that what you truly believe?"

"Yeah, but more importantly," I could feel some sort of weird energy building up inside me. "Let. Him. Go!"

"Not until you give us what we want." She pressed the blade of the dagger closer to Leo's throat.

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"I think you do." She sneered. "You know about the five bird Chains and where they are."

_'Five bird Chains?' _

"Seriously, I don't know what you're talking about." I exclaimed. "Just let him go!"

"Tell us first."

"Stop it!" That strange energy was getting stronger. "Let him go!"

"You do know." She pressed it even closer, drawing some blood at the same time.

"STOP IT!"

In that one moment, all of time froze, and I felt myself falling, but everything was fadding into darkness and I wasn't falling. I was held up by chains that were wrapped around my arms, keeping me in my titled state. Bellow me was water and black feathers floating down through the air.

_"Let your mind drift, and focus on rescuing him." _A voice echoed as my eyes started to close. _"I'll take care of the rest."_

In the last second, I saw a pair of menacing eyes. After that, there was nothing.

* * *

><p>Carrie's loud cry had everyone frozen as Heather pulled the dagger away from my throat slightly. But I had the strangest feeling as I looked at Carrie, as if something was about to happen.<p>

Just then, the wind started to gust. Glancing at her face, I saw that Carrie had become more relaxed, her eyes closed as the wind swirled around her. The ground beneath her then lit up in an odd symbol, and chains emerged.

Her eyes opened and her head titled up to meet my gaze, black feathers now floating in the air.

The pupils of her eyes had narrowed into slits.

Only one name came into my mind...Raven.

**Ha-ha! Plot twist! Carrie has a Chain, and on top of that, it's Raven! XD I love adding twists like that. Leave a reveiw if you'd like.**


	14. A Storm of Black Feathers

**Just another rainy day in the middle of senic nowhere. This chapter is a little shorter than the one's before it (excluding chapter 2) and I can explain. I suck at wrting battle scenes, so the action kind of moves quickly in this chapter. But, anyway, kick back and see what Carrie does with the power of her Chain.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

Chapter 13: A Storm Of Black Feathers

Her eyes were filled with coldness, and the wind continued to gust, more black feathers now floating in the air.

"Heather-san, that Chain is-?" I heard Mark exclaim.

"She _has_ Raven."

I ignored their shocked faces, looking on at Carrie instead, my mind flooded with multiple questions.

_'She's contracted to Raven? But how?' _I asked myself._ 'Her contract's not an illegal one, is it?'_

Above her, I could faintly see the outline of Raven. Then it seemed to dissolve into her, the wind picking up, swirling more around her.

Carrie never mentioned anything about a Chain, much less having a contract with one like this. When she called out to them to let me go, her face changed, and behind her eyes, it was almost like looking at another person.

Behind her eyes, there was traces of confusion among her real self, as if in shock.

_'She never knew. She doesn't know Raven is her Chain!'_ I realized.

She caught my gaze and closed her eyes again, taking a deep breath. She was still as the wind grew fiercer, blowing her beige hair in all directions. It was as if she was waiting for the power flowing through her to build up inside, waiting to be released.

"Carrie..."

When she heard her own name, her eyes snapped open, and she released Raven's power.

A chain came out of nowhere and shot straight for Heather. But, I saw her quickly realize this and dodge out of the way. "Dan, Mark! Get her!"

Heather threw me aside and I lifted my head up to see all three of them charge towards her. She stood there, waiting, but at the last second, she jumped above them, a grin slowly spreading across her face. However, this was not her normal grin, it was almost like a crazed one. She landed on the other side of them and skidded back on her feet, the black feathers following her direction.

Mark drew out a sword and went for Carrie, but she brought a chain up, blocking his attack. He tried again, but she saw an opening and kicked him away. Dan took a bow and arrow and tried shooting her as she looked down at Mark, but she saw it in time, catching the arrow in her hands and stopping it.

I couldn't do anything because I was tied up, only look on at Carrie as she battled against these people. Heather went at her with the dagger again, but she glared at them and sent out a wave of energy, sending all three of them back and knocking out Dan and Mark.

Carrie turned those cold eyes back to me, her grin fading as she saw me, but she was unaware of Heather, who had taken Dan's bow, aiming an arrow at Carrie's now exposed back.

"Carrie!" She heard my call and turned around, dodging the arrow and instead, blowing past her hair and hitting a tree.

Her grin came back and they went head on at each other, they were equally matched with hand to hand combat. In one quick instant though, Carrie caught Heather's arm and pinned it behind her back. Before Heather could react, she pushed her down, but she drew out her dagger once again.

Carrie chuckled lightly and easily knocked the dagger from her hand and brought chains up, tackling Heather and sending her back. However, when she got up, a chain came up from behind her and slashed her side just as she turned around to face it.

Carrie just stood there, looking at the damage done.

"Damn." Heather spat. "You got me again."

At this point, Dan and Mark had regained consciousness and saw Heather as she fell to the ground. They didn't bother to say anything, rather, Dan quickly picked up Heather and hurried away. Mark, however, looked back at us just once. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it and ran after the others.

The crazy grin that Carrie had turned down into a light smile as soon as they were gone. Black feathers were raining down around us as she reached a hand up and caught a feather. She observed it's texture before looking back at me.

I couldn't help but flinch when she started walking over to me. During that battle, that hadn't been her, it was Raven's power, and Carrie wasn't entirely aware of what was happening. The power of Raven, or more likely the Chain itself was acting on her behalf.

When she reached me, she kneeled down and untied the rope that was binding my arms. As soon as the last of the rope was untied, I rubbed my wrists, relieved that I was no longer binded. She then went back to a tree from where she had entered the clearing, returning with my glasses and putting them on my face.

"I put them in this little pocket book I had with me." She plainly said. "Don't know why I brought it, but at least you have your glasses back."

There was something wrong with her voice, as if it wasn't her own, belonging to someone else.

"Carrie, I-"

She took a few steps away from me and looked back, smiling lightly at me, but her eyes then closed and she collapsed onto the ground.

* * *

><p>Still, I was trapped in this nothingness where water surrounded me and I was binded by chains. Small orbs of light came by from time to time, and in one of them, I saw Leo. He was free and looked unharmed. (Well, excluding the few drops of blood from where the dagger slightly cut him.)<p>

_'Leo.'_ I thought. _'At least you're safe.' _

_"See, girl. What did I tell you?"_ It was that voice again. My eyes darted around, trying to find the source, when a feather caught my eye. I turned my eyes up, only to see a familiar pair of eyes looking at me.

_'You?'_ I questioned. _'Who are you?'_

_"I'm not surprised you don't remember."_It answered._"Amazing, that even today, you don't have to use that blood-sealing mirror to draw out my power."_

_'Your power? What do you mean by that?'_

_"Calm down, Carrie." _My eyes widened when it said my name. _"What you've desired is all said and done, that friend of yours is free. That's what you wanted, correct?"_

_'Leo is free now. Yes, that's what I wanted.'_

_"And you did. Your body just moved with the flow of my power, acting upon your wish."_

_'But you said before that you would have done that.'_

_"I know. I did, and like I said, your body followed suit."_

_'Still, you haven't answered my question yet. Just who are you?'_ I was becoming irritated; I need answers.

_"All in good time. You have a great destiny ahead, and the truth will become known soon enough."_

_'Enough head games!' _I shouted. _'Answer me!'_

_"Ah, you are indeed just like him."_

_'Shut up! I have no idea who you're talking about, but if you won't answer me, let me return to Leo!'_

I heard it sigh, as if it was a foolish request. _"You can't just yet, your body needs time to heal and recover after using so much energy. So, why don't we talk for just a little bit more?"_

_'Talk about what?' _I growled, demanding these answers.

_"The past."_ It simply answered.

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. _'Okay, now I'm confused.'_

_"Then allow me to clarify. Around 300 years ago, you know of the great Tragedy of Sablier, but there were some things before that, left hidden and were vague details during that day."_ It explained in a quiet tone. _"I think you have an obligation to know. You've heard strange voices that seemed like memories, and a dream like that too."_

I instantly thought back to the dream from a few days ago; the girl who was talking to the boy underneath a tree. I had to admit, it did seem like a memory now that I thought about it.

_'That is...'_

_"So, you have started to remember. I wonder if the other one does too?"_

_'Leo?'_

_"Yes."_ It answered. _"You see, both you and him have thin threads that no one else can see, and they link you both to the events of that day 300 years ago."_

I couldn't throw back a remark for that, simply because there were no words to describe that. To just come out and say such a thing, it seemed outrageous, but, somewhere inside me, I felt like this was the truth. If it is though, in what way are we tied to it?

_'Oh.'_ I couldn't say anything else. _'And you would know how?'_

_"Because I was there also. My master from that time who was supposed to transfer me into a boy who was to become his next vessel, but there was an interference involving his brother. The thread of fate lead us back to met 100 years later, and then, forming a contract. Going from this, who I am should be obvious to you."_

I thought about what it just said, and it seemed to be the truth. Also, I've known details of a person who was supposed to be the next body for Glen, before Leo, and the Chain that person was supossed to receive was...

It all clicked in my head, and as the lights became more, I realized the name.

_'You are...Raven?'_

_"Yes."_ The lights floated around me, blocking my sight of the legendary black winged bird. _"Now, I suppose you can go back now, but know this; another black winged Chain is not that far off. Remember what I said too, it will help you. From here on, I will serve you, answer your call when you need me."_

It's voice was starting to become faint. _'Wait, I still don't understand yet!'_

_"Dear girl, you were gifted a long time ago, and this time around, you carry the courage and bravery of 'that person'."_

The lights became too much, and everything was now transformed into a blinding white, then fading to black once more.

**Okay, lets leave off there. The next chapter will explain the relation between her and Raven, and you'll find out what Raven means by 'that person'. Feel free to reveiw, as always.**


	15. True Secrets

**Yes, I know the last chapter was a bit short, but this one is longer. This chapter tells how Carrie contracted Raven and it also reveals another secret about her. Read to find out! :) Oh, and if you haven't read Retrace 64 yet (although I suposse the majority has already), there is a bit of a spoiler. Just saying ahead of time.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

Chapter 14: True Secrets

The first feeling I got was that I was laying on something soft. My eyes didn't want to open, but I willed them to, against the fact that I was too tired to. As they fluttered open, I found that what I was laying on was a bed and pillows, a quilt was wrapped around me, and I was dressed in my pajamas. My eyes drew their attention back to the ceiling, making me aware that I was laying on my back.

Somehow, I was back in my room, and there was only one question on my mind. _'How did I get back here?'_

I remember standing in a clearing, those three people holding Leo hostage, I remember my throat hurt because of how loud I screamed and...

Wait, Leo! I totally forgot about him! There was a dagger, and she was pressing it against his throat, making blood flow.

_'I need to find him.' _I did see him in that black place before, but I need to make sure he was really okay, and for all I know, that could have been a illusion.

"You shouldn't really try to get up for a while." A voice softly said as I struggled to sit up.

I turned my eyes towards the direction of the voice, only to see Leo standing as few feet away. In his hand, he held a book and there were a few bandages wrapped around his neck, a faint red stain there.

"Leo." I sighed in relief. "You're alright."

"Of course I am. I'm just lucky I was able to get you back here."

I was a bit surprised. "You? All by yourself?"

He shook his head. "No. Your phone rang a few minutes after you fainted. It was your sister and I told her what happened. She came along a few minutes later after I got you out of the woods."

"Okay. But wait, what happened there? I don't remember."

"You don't?" He asked in confusion. "All of that, you have no recollection?"

I turned my eyes away from him. He seemed to read the look on my face as I lay back down, closing his book (marking the page first), walking over to me and sitting down on the bed. He readjusted his glasses, and opened his mouth to say something, but he stopped, as if he words wouldn't come out.

"In short, you rescued me from those people," He said slowly. "With the power of Raven."

My eyes widened. "R-Raven?"

"Yes. But, I don't think you were aware of what you were doing when you were using its power. I don't even think you knew that you possessed Raven."

"No, I never knew." This sounded impossible, I don't have a Chain, I never have. I thought back to that place I was in before I woke up here. That bird I talked to, it was a Chain...it _was_ Raven. There, in those orbs of light there, I could see myself fighting them, only, I never realized it then.

"Why? Why would I have Raven?"

"I don't know. But," He paused, trying to find something to say. "The contract's not an illegal one I hope."

I nodded, closing my eyes for a brief second. "Only one way to find out."

With my tiered hands, I pulled down a bit on my pajama top, this being the only way to check for the incuse; the seal of an illegal contract. I looked down at where I pulled down the top; there was nothing there.

I let go of the top and let my hands fall back to my side. "No incuse."

"Good. Still, it's strange how you have a contract with a Chain like that." Leo said. "Raven is one of the legendary black winged bird-like Chains, said to be able to crate pathways to the Abyss."

"Yeah, and there's five of them. I guess I have one of them now. But those people are searching for them, and now they know I hold one. I wonder though, were are the others?" I looked over to Leo, remembering the notes about these Chains, and I knew about a certain one that was said to be the most powerful of the five. "You still don't have Jabberwock, do you?"

His body seemed to tense when I asked him this. "No. Otherwise...the incuse would still be on me."

That officially caught me off guard. "Incuse...? Your contract with Jabberwock was i-illegal?"

He looked away from me, as if regretting saying it. "It was, but it's gone now, I can't even sense it's energy anymore, nether in or around me."

"Oh." I looked up at the ceiling, trying to think of anything to say, but I couldn't. I just lay there, Leo sitting beside me, and both of us at a loss for words.

* * *

><p>Carrie's sister arrived back from town an hour later, the reason being that she had gone to fetch some tea because we didn't have anymore. She looked relived to see her younger sister awake again. After making the tea, Sasha asked me to take it to her.<p>

"I brought you some tea." I told her. Carrie was now sitting up, her back resting on some pillows propped up behind her.

"Thanks." She replied taking the cup from my hands.

I sat down beside her again. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, I am." She said after taking a sip of tea. "You know, I've been thinking."

"About what?"

"Well, If Raven truly is my Chain, and the contract is legal, then shouldn't be contained in a blood sealing mirror?"

"It is." A voice spoke up. I turned my head to see Sasha standing in the doorway, a pendent dangling from her hand. The pendent looked like a mirror, and inside it, I could faintly see a circular type of seal.

"That is..." Carrie started.

"A blood sealing mirror." I finished for her. She remained silent for a moment as she looked at the object that dangled from her sister's hand before speaking.

"So, I do have a contract with Raven." She began again. "And...you knew about it."

Sasha sighed, putting the pendent in her pocket. "Yes, I knew."

"Why did you hide it from me?" She demanded, her voice becoming more tense. "And, more importantly, why can't I remember making a contract with it?"

"She's right." I said, realizing her point. "How can she have no memories of making a contract with Raven? The only Chain I'm aware of that can erase and alter memories is Humpty Dumpty."

I closed my eyes for a brief moment, knowing my voice had a slight strain on it when I said that name. I hated saying that, reminding me of those painful memories and that long moment that meant certain death for him; Elliot.

"Yes, you are right. But," She paused and closed her eyes. "That's not how it happened."

"Then how did it?" Carrie asked in a low growl.

"It all happened two years ago." She explained. "We were out near Reveil, when we happened to discover a little house. You, being as curious as ever, convinced me to explore it with you. We discovered an underground passage, which lead us to a room with a large door, well, it appeared to be more like a tomb. You went up to touch the door, and I tried to stop you because I had a bad feeling about that place. That's when it happened."

"A door, huh?" I wondered. "And inside must have been Raven then."

"Correct. We were transported to a strange place, then everything seemed to move by in a flash. There were chains everywhere, trying to attack us. One of them almost got me, if it wasn't for you, Carrie. You yelled at it to stop and leave us alone, but then they turned on you, slashing across your shoulder and part of your neck as they binded you in chains. I was knocked away by a mysterious force and a voice rang out 'You are qualified.' The chains tightened around you to the point where you passed out."

"How come I don't remember any of this." Carrie interrupted. "Well, yes, I know we found a place like that, but, I still don't know anything of this place that we were transported to."

"Carrie, clam down." I said to her. "I'm sure she's getting to that part. Try not to be too impatient."

"I'm getting there." Sasha continued. "Two eyes of a bird appeared, it's feathers everywhere. It told me that she is qualified to be its contractor, but I knew that would make her an illegal contractor. However, it said I have a certain object to make it legal."

"The blood sealing mirror."

She nodded to me. "Instead of Carrie drinking the Chain's blood, I let the mirror soak in it, then the contract was complete. It released Carrie, and when I asked for a name it replied, 'Raven'. At that moment, we found ourselves back outside the door. I realized what just happened and I took her back outside."

"Ah! That's right!" Carrie suddenly exclaimed. "I woke up in the carriage and you told me something from the ceiling fell and hit my head, making me pass out. But in truth," Her eyes narrowed. "I had just contracted to Raven and you weren't telling me that."

"Carrie, please understand that I-"

"I've had Raven inside me for two years and this is the first time I've used it's power and you decide to tell me now?"

She sighed. "I couldn't, not yet anyways."

I looked back at Carrie, her eyes still showing hints of confusion, like she still couldn't believe it.

"So the pendent you gave me on my birthday of that year, it was the blood sealing mirror. Yet, Raven somehow twisted my memories so I never remembered forming the contract."

"Chain's powers can evolve too, given time. They can form new abilities for example, but, the mirror still requires great care. If it is broken, you would lose the contract with Raven."

"But, such an amount of power, like during tonight, isn't it limited?" I asked.

"It may not have changed much, but that's one thing that has." Carrie answered. "The limit of power that can be released slackened about 70 years ago, allowing more power to the contractor if needed."

"My guess is that the power was drawn out by her mutual feeling to protect you in that situation." Sasha inquired, directing this answer towards me. She then looked back at Carrie. "Anyways, I'm sorry, but I figured you'd figure it out eventually and it was only a matter of time before you would first release its power."

The room fell silent once more as Sasha took the pendent from her pocket, put it on the dresser and left. Carrie breathed out a sigh after she was gone and took another sip of tea.

"You alright?"

She looked up from the cup, her eyes meeting my gaze. "I'm fine. This is just quite a bit of information I have to think over."

* * *

><p>The morning came quickly the next day. I shifted under the covers of my bed, letting my eyes open and adjust to the light.<p>

I yawned as I lazily walked down the hall to the staircase, but I stopped when I passed by a door that was open. Leo was sleeping on the bed with a book rested on his chest, rising and falling as he breathed. I smiled and walked in, noticing his glasses were on the nightstand next to him. Looking back, for a split second, my smile faded as I saw a flash of memory from when he was in the hospital. I willed the thought to go away as I looked on at him, my smile slowly coming back.

"You look so much like a child." I whispered, smoothening his hair with my hand.

I left the room and walked to the staircase, still thinking about how peaceful he looked. The thoughts about Raven and the truth of how this came to be my Chain were still lingering in my mind, but I had accepted this as the truth. I didn't really even think about it anymore.

As I walked downstairs, I saw Sasha walk through the door, a light brown box in her hands.

"What's that?" I asked her.

"Don't know." She answered, setting the box down on the table. "It just arrived today."

"Well, who sent it?" I had reached the bottom now and I walked over to look at the box on the table.

She glanced at the address on the box. "Um," She paused and turned up to me. "Duchess Nightray."

We stood there silent for a few moments, each unable to believe this.

_'A package for us? And on top of that, from Duchess Nightray?'_ The question repeated itself in my mind over and over. To us, this was like a slap in the face.

"D-Duchess...Nightray?" I stuttered.

"What would the Nightrays want to give you two?"

"I don't have the slightest-" I turned to face that voice with surprise. Looking up at the staircase, I saw Leo at the top, his glasses back on.

"I heard you earlier." He said.

"Oh, I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No, I just fell asleep while reading last night." He answered, walking downstairs and coming to stand next to me. "So, what's in the box?"

"That's what we're going to find out." Sasha said, going over to the kitchen and getting a knife. Returning to the box, she cut the tape sealing it.

She took a deep breath, then unwrapping it. The wrapping revealed nothing more than a case. Sasha undid the latches, and I peered inside. What I saw was nothing more than a few items and something else that was wrapped up, and rather long at that.

"So what exactly-"

"Carrie, look." Leo said suddenly, reaching inside the case and taking out a photograph. "This is a picture of Elliot."

"Eh? Why would this be here?"

"Carrie, Leo." We turned our eyes to Sasha, her hands holding an open letter. "This is a letter from Duchess Nightray."

"Well, read it!" I exclaimed with anticipation.

"Okay." She cleared her throat and began. "To Miss Carrie and Sasha Strata. This would of been sent to you sooner, but I wasn't told about it till a few days ago. You know that I became the family head a year ago, and when I was told of this secret, I didn't understand at first why it was kept from you two, but I think you should know."

She looked up from the letter and at me. "A secret?"

"Keep reading." Leo insisted.

"You see, your parents were old friends of mine. After their death, I was given a letter than was written in advance that was meant for me. It said that if they died, I was to give to you a few keepsakes. Why you ask? Well, I didn't know what keepsakes they were talking about, but I later found out that they were things storied in this case. If you've seen the photograph I've included, then you should know whose things these are."

I stared at her wide eyed. "Wh-" Then I looked down at the case, at the item wrapped up. I picked it up and started undoing the ties and unwrapping it. Letting the string and wrapping around it fall to the floor, I looked at the black item in my hands.

It was a sword; Elliot's sword.

I closed my hand on the hilt and slowly drew it out. It made a slight clang as I removed it from its casing, holing it up and seeing my own reflection in it. I stared back at myself on the polished surface for a moment before returning the sword to its case and setting it down on the table.

"Sasha, what does the rest of that letter say?"

"Ah!" She turned her eyes back to the letter, having been distracted by the sword. "I have no idea why your parents kept this a secret from you, but I contacted one of your relatives about this, and they told me the secret that was supposed to be a cover-up. They may have told you that a music composition you received was passed down through the family after a lady of the Rainsworth Dukedom received this from a man of the Nightray Dukedom."

"Lacie." Leo said.

"Yeah, that's what are parents told us."

"This letter says differently." Sasha said, getting back to the letter. "It was passed down through the Nightray family."

"Wait, Carrie, if that's true, then-"

"And they may have told you both that you are related to Sharon Rainsworth. No. In truth, you two are direct descendents of..." she paused, her eyes growing wide and looking up from the letter to me. "Elliot Nightray."

The room fell silent, the only thing being heard was the chirping of birds outside. No one said anything to each other, and we had a right to. I was utterly stunned, unable to believe this truth. I had grown up, always assuming that what they said about being descendents of Sharon Rainsworth were true. No, it was a lie. All along, it was Elliot we were descendents of.

_'All this time, and they decided not to tell us.' _I thought bitterly.

Sasha slowly looked back to the letter, reading the last few lines. "This is the truth, and you deserve to know. Sincerely, Duchess Hannah Nightray."

She put down the letter and Leo looked through some papers in the case. I glanced over to them and saw that they were music sheets. There was also a photo of Elliot and his siblings, obviously taken before the whole Headhunter ordeal.

"That might expain why Raven said you were qualified." She inquired. "Maybe Raven already knew this and choose you because of our now known liniage."

I sighed, trying to comprehend all this.

"So that's why you look like Elliot." Leo said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

I shrugged it off. "Yeah, and that's the only reason you're my friend."

"Huh? No Carrie, I-"

"Shut up!" I snapped. "My parents kept this a secret from us, and now that I know, I know that's the only reason we're friends!"

"Carrie, it's not like that. Just listen for a second." I could tell the tension in his voice was rising, but I didn't care.

"Don't give me that when you keep denying. How am I supposed to believe that as the truth? You are only here with me because I look so much like Elliot!"

"Why don't you shut up and listen?" I froze, looking at Leo, his fists clenched. "Just assuming things like this makes you annoying! I heard you say it yourself to those people and yet you contradict your own words. It just proves that even you don't understand his death! If you're so smart, why don't you try and understand those things before you throw out accusations?"

"Hey, I'm not the one at fault here!" I yelled back at him. "I'm only saying what's true. You don't even understand me sometimes, just stare off into nowhere!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" He sarcastically said.

Now he was really ticking me off. "You know very well! And I do not automatically assume things!"

"Just because you look like him doesn't mean anything at all!"

"Enough you two!" Sasha's shout reach above our bickering and made us both stop and turn to her. "Look, Leo. She's well aware of what happened to him, it's just that this new information is a bit too much for her right now, so just give her a chance to try and understand it." She then turned her attention to me. "And you, Carrie. Sometimes, you do assume things too quickly, and It doesn't matter if you look like him, that's not why he's your friend. It's only because you are you." She paused and came around the table towards us. "You two are friends, and that's that."

I looked at Leo, my anger cooling down. Even though we had been practically screaming at each other only a moment ago, I felt like that wasn't the right thing to say.

"Leo, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that to you."

He sighed, readjusting his glasses. "It's been a while since I was like that, but, I'm sorry too. Also, what I said is true. Just because you look the same as Elliot, it doesn't change anything. I'm not your friend for that, it's because of your character as a whole; it makes me happy."

"Thanks." I held out my hand, and we shook hands, forgiving each other.

"Alright, now that that's said and done," Sasha walked into the kitchen and got various food items and laid them on the counter. "Who wants breakfast?"

"That sounds great, Sasha." Leo said, putting the contents of the package back into the case, sealing it. "I'll just put this in the library of that's okay with you."

She nodded and he picked up the case and took it to the library. While he walked off, I thought about Sasha, all the things she said.

_'I've never heard Sasha sound so reasonable.'_ I thought. _'I'm...really glad she was here.'_

"Hey, Sasha?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." I said with a soft smile.

She smiled back at me. "No problem, Carrie. And you know what? I think you have a bit of Elliot's personality in you too."

I let out a small laugh at this. "Yeah, I suposse that's true."

**Well, that last part was interesting. Hopefuly, I'll get more reveiws, so plz feel free to leave one.**


	16. Sablier, 1711, Leo & Carrie

**Horray for the weekend! So, this is basicly a dream chapter, told from two seperate dreams from Carrie and Leo's perspective. The events in these dreams are important though.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

Chapter 15: Sablier, 1711 (Leo & Carrie)

"Aaron!"

I found myself standing in a courtyard as a girl in a dress rushed past me amid the falling snow. My eyes had faintly caught her face as she did. Light colored hair, blue eyes, and slender features. It seemed like more than a single moment, but she was past me before I even had time to think.

I turned to see her rush off towards a mansion behind me, going up the steps in a hurry. There was something about this girl stirred curiosity within me, and so, I decided to follow her.

When I got to the top of the stairs, she had already gone inside, so I opened the door only to find her looking around a parlor.

She cupped her hands around her mouth and called out, "Aaron!"

There was another set of stairs that led up to the upper floor, and up there appeared a maid, looking down at the girl.

"Oh, Anastasia-sama." She said.

_'A-Anastasia?'_ That was the same name from the journal I found the day me and Leo delivered a book to the place where the records are storied in Reveil.

"Do you know where Aaron is?" She asked the maid franticly.

"Um, he's in his room right now, but I don't think-"

"Okay, thanks!" She replied, hurrying up the stairs and past the maid.

_'I need to find out what she's up to.' _I went up the stairs and chased after the girl as she ran down the hall. Finally, she stopped at a door and pushed it open.

"Aaron!" She exclaimed again. I looked inside the room to see her standing beside a bed. Laying there, tucked under the covers, was a dark haired boy. He appeared to be sleeping, and as I got closer, I could see that this boy's face was extremely pale. There were also other people in the room, looking surprised and annoyed to see her here. She looked back at them, knowing their eyes were staring at her, but she didn't care, instead turning back to the boy. She got on the bed a placed a hand on his face, making him groan as he stirred under the covers.

"Anastasia, why are you here?" Someone asked her.

She turned to them, her blue eyes glaring into them. "Because I can. Aaron is my friend, and I don't appreciate when I find out that he's sick and you people try to keep me away."

"You're too over dramatic." Another said. "It's just pneumonia."

She blinked, but then her eyes narrowed. "Are you stupid? It's like you don't even care!"

"Why don't you just scamper back over to the Vessalius house?"

"I don't think so. I just wanted to see him, there's no harm in that."

"Uh...A-Anna..." A voice muttered. Anastasia turned her head back around to the boy, caressing her hand over his cheek, then looking back to the people she was arguing with only a moment before.

"Just give us a few minutes alone, okay?"

One of them sighed but then they all left, each passing me by and leaving me looking onward at the two left in the room. She watched the last of them leave before turning back to Aaron.

"Aaron? Can you hear me?" She asked anxiously.

He groaned and his eyes fluttered open, but only halfway. "Anna."

_'His voice sounds so scratchy.'_ I said to myself. I walked around to the other side of the bed, oblivious to the two others. It was practically like they didn't even know I was there, not that I was expecting them to, but that was the strange part, and that concerned me.

If this was a dream, than the odds would be split evenly. However, I was starting to believe that this wasn't a dream.

"Hey." She softly said to him. "How are you feeling?"

"Not very good." He answered.

"I suppose that's true. You look awful."

He closed his eyes and coughed before answering. "I know that."

She looked out the a window, then back to him. "It's the middle of winter. You probably have pneumonia because you stayed outside for too long."

"I can go outside if I want." He argued.

"Well, not right now you can't." She retorted. "You're so stubborn sometimes."

I admired how much she cared for him, but that wasn't what I was thinking of. When she had looked out the window, the window was behind me. That meant she had looked right at me; through me. Her eyes didn't show surprise when they landed on me, because she didn't know I was here.

_'I'm not really here.'_ I concluded. _'I can only watch from afar.' _

"Anna." He said quietly. "I'm so glad you came."

She looked down at him, then smiling. "I would have anyway. Honestly, I don't think those people care much about you and I couldn't just leave you to suffer alone."

He chuckled as she leaned in closer to him, her forehead touching his. "That figures, only because you are you."

"Then I'll come by every day until you are well again, even if you don't want me here."

"That sounds great." His voice strained on the last word.

"You should probably get some rest. I mean, you can barely keep your eyes open." She suggested pulling away from him.

"Only if you come tomorrow."

"Of course I will." She smirked.

"I still wish I could go outside right now." He regretfully sighed.

"Not until you feel better, but I know how you feel." She answered, twirling around once. "Winters in Sablier sure are wonderful!'

I couldn't move from the moment she had said that name. Sablier; the former capital that had been sent into the Abyss 300 years ago, and right now, I was...here?

_'Sablier? But how could I possibly be here?'_

I turned my eyes back to Anastasia, who was now at the door. "Until tomorrow, Aaron."

"Same here, Anna."

There was something about that boy's silver eyes that seemed so familiar.

* * *

><p>A blast of cold air chilled me to my core, making me shiver. When I opened my eyes, I found myself standing in a snow covered garden, snow falling down as well. Well, not so much of a garden because all the plants had died out for the season, but I recognized the familiar things that belong to a garden; bushes, small trees, a gazebo, and fences.<p>

_'Huh? Where is this?' _I wondered. _'I could of sworn I was in my room a second ago.'_

"This way Aaron!" I heard a voice exclaim. I turned to see a girl, probably 14 years old, walking through the garden, her hand attached to a boy about the same age who looked reluctant to be here.

The girl had long hair, like Carrie's, wore a dress, a coat on top of it, and had a scarf loosely around her neck. The boy she was dragging along had short black hair, and seemed to wear heavier clothing; a long overcoat, a scarf and a winter hat.

"Anna, are you sure this is a good idea?" The boy asked as they walked along.

"Of course it is, Aaron. No need to worry!"

At that moment, he sneezed, making the girl he called Anna stop. "I can't stay out long in this weather, you know that."

"Oh, so now you complain, and you keep saying you can go outside if you want to."

"I know what I said." He growled.

"Aw, forget it. Come on, we won't be long, and I'll get you right back home."

He sighed and they continued. Their conversation had somehow peeked my interest, now wanting to know where they were going. Also, the way these two talked, how they interacted, it seemed nostalgic somehow. And so, I followed, completely unnoticed by them.

Finally, they came to a door, the girl stopping and knocking on the door. Moment's later, after the boy promptly sneezed again, the door opened to reveal a blond haired man dressed in green.

Wait.

_'Blond hair? Green eyes? He looks so much like...'_ The name of the person I was comparing this man to suddenly clicked in my mind. _'Oz-kun.'_

"Hello, Anastasia." The man said. Ah, so her name was Anastasia. The boy must use 'Anna' as a nickname.

"Same to you, Jack-sama."

My eyes widened. _'Jack? As in Jack Vessalius?'_

Really, it was the only logical explanation. Oz-kun did have some resemblance to that hero, everyone knew that; I knew that. Jack's spirit was indeed inside Oz-kun. But now, here I was, looking at this man with my own eyes. I must be dreaming, but, I'm getting the feeling that this isn't a dream.

What exactly was going on here?

"What brings you by the Vessalius house today?" He asked her.

"I want to introduce you to my friend. Aaron, this is Jack Vessalius-sama. Jack-sama, this is Aaron Chapman."

_'So it is him.' _I concluded.

"Ah, from the Chapman house I see."

"It's nice to meet you Ja-" He stopped and sneezed again. "Ugh..."

"Jack-sama, may we come inside? He can't stay out in weather like this for too long."

"Of course." Jack answered, stepping off to the side, but holding the door open for them. "I'll have the maid make us some tea."

As they stepped inside, I saw him turn his head up at me, but, it was as if he didn't _see_ me. I watched as he closed the door, then walking up and opening the door myself. Inside, I saw the three people, and a maid preparing tea.

"Hey, Aaron, your face is red." Anastasia teased.

"Shut up." He grumbled.

"Maybe it's your coat making you overly warm." Jack suggested. "Why don't you take it off."

Aaron nodded and removed the coat, scarf, and hat. After that, he took a seat at a table, tilting his head back. Anastasia sat down beside him, taking off her coat as well and laying it over the top of the chair.

When the tea was ready, Aaron took the cup carefully and gazed into it, as if trying to look at his own reflection.

"Ah, careful. It's hot." Jack warned as he took a sip of tea. He set it down afterwards and smiled at him.

"Thanks, Jack-sama." His voice sounded weaker.

"Are you alright?"

"He's fine." Anastasia answered. "His health is poor, so his parents try to keep him from going outside."

"I see." He then laughed. "You remind me of Alice."

"Who?" Aaron asked in confusion.

"You see, Alice is a friend of Jack-sama, about our age, maybe a year older." She explained. "For some reason, another friend of Jack-sama's, Glen Baskerville-sama, keeps her locked in a tower. Jack-sama visits Alice often, usually causing mischief along the way."

"That's the short version, but, sure."

She looked back over at Aaron, who looked tired. "Actually, you do look a little pale. Maybe you just have a slight cold or something."

"Told you so." He muttered at her.

"Relax." She said, ruffling his hair. A blush spread across his face

"Please, don't d-do that." He said nervously.

"Aw, you must like her." Jack teased. Aaron narrowed his eyes at him, trying to calm down.

"No, it's not like that." He tried to convince them. "It's just that I find when she does that to be very annoying."

"In any case," Jack interrupted. "Stay for a little bit while you finish your tea."

* * *

><p>My eyes fluttered open, and I saw that I was no longer in the mansion with those three, but in my room once more. I glanced over at the clock; nearly 2:00 AM. The book that I'd been reading was at my side yet again, meaning I must have fallen asleep while reading, again.<p>

_'So it really was a dream.' _I thought, breathing out a sigh of relief. Everything really had been a dream, but somehow, it didn't feel so much as a dream, but like something else; a glimpse into the past sort to say.

But, if it was that, why did I see such a thing? If those two had been with Jack Vessalius, then if I really did see into the past, it would have been back close to 1711. That was the confusing part, but there were other confusing questions to this as well.

Those two people, Anastasia and Aaron, reminded me the relationship between me and Carrie. Among other things though, I had been hearing other things that aren't the voices I used to hear. Sometimes, I could hear them from far away, and they seemed to be calling out from inside a memory. What I was starting to wonder, now that I had seen this dream, maybe it wasn't a dream and instead it was a memory.

Still...who are Anastasia and Aaron? How do they know Jack? And...why does that Anastasia girl remind me of Carrie?

**Hmm. Maybe he's onto something. You'll have to wait and find out though. Plz reveiw if you'd like. Have a good weekend!**


	17. Confrontation

**Good news, we're over halfway through the story. I'm stuck in a temporary writers block, but I'm almost done writing the stroy. Okay, so this chapter gives us some information regarding the mysterious Anastasia, and a twist is ahead, so sit back and enjoy.**

**Have you noticed todays date? 9-10-11. lol.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

Chapter 16: Confrontation

"Come on! It's the weekend!" I exclaimed as me and Leo walked into the room we had been taken to when we had first been taken to Pandora. "I mean, I had to endure my sister's constant yelling 'cause she found out we work here now, but you interrupt me and Leo when we're just relaxing and drag us back here!"

Sure, that was true. Earlier, I'd been thinking over this weird dream I had last night, even though I'm still realing about the truth that me and Sasha are decendents of Elliot Nightray, when Maverick came and interrupted our lunch. In short, I had to tell Sasha we worked for Pandora, and she totally flipped. Luckily, Maverick helped us escape her wrath, but I was still pissed off at him for causing such an uproar.

"I'm sure it's important if he came by so early." Leo said to me.

Oh yeah, speaking of dreams...last night was really strange, because of the dream I had. All morning I had been trying to figure out the questions I wondered about it, which had kept me quiet for most of the time. I also took note that Leo seemed to be more, um, quieter than usual. Not that it wasn't normal, but it was bugging me for some reason. He looked a little tiered this morning, and when I asked him if he was still half asleep, he just told me that he didn't get much sleep.

_'I know it's a stupid question to ask myself, but, is it possible he had the same dream as me?'_ I wondered.

"So, exactly why did you call us here?" I asked Maverick as we sat down at a table.

"The two who you said attacked you during your first mission," He explained. "I looked into the people you described."

"And?"

"It would seem that these two are Baskervilles."

"What?"

"Heather and Daniel Baskerville, brother and sister." Maverick said, leaning back in his chair. "However, the question remains, what exactly were they hopping to gain from taking that book from you?"

"Maybe it's because they want to know the location of the five black winged bird-like Chains." I inquired, even though I knew that was the truth.

He smiled at me. "Now, how did you come to such a conclusion?"

"I don't know why or what their goal is, but that's what they said to me on Friday night," I paused and closed my eyes. "When they kidnapped Leo at the dance."

"Kidnapped?"

"Yes." Leo spoke up. "I was taken by those people and she came after me. She rescued me from them too, with the help of her Chain."

"You have a Chain, Carrie-kun?"

I nodded. "Yes, and it's one of the Chains they search for; Raven."

His smile grew wider and this time he leaned forward, interested in the news that I had Raven. "Well, well. This is a sudden surprise. I guess we have another objective then." He then looked over at Leo. "And what about him? From what I understand, and what the records say, he holds Jabberwock, correct?"

"Not anymore. The contract must of broke when he died and was cast into the Abyss."

"How troublesome. What could they want with those five Chains?"

"I have no idea, but, speaking of our first mission." I looked him straight in the eye. "I have something to ask of you."

"Yes?"

"Before we left the library in Reveil, I found a journal in the storage for the records. The name said 'Anastasia'. Now, last night, I had a strange dream."

He looked even more interested, and Leo suddenly seemed interested too. "Explain, please, Carrie-kun."

"It was winter and the snow was falling down. In the blink of an eye, a girl ran past me and up the steps of a mansion." I explained, recalling the things that had happened in the dream. "I followed her inside and a maid called her Anastasia, which could only mean that girl is the owner of the same journal. I continued to follow her and found a boy she called Aaron. Based on the interaction between these two, and what I've read in the journal, I'm pretty sure that the boy she talked about in the journal is Aaron. For some reason, that girl reminded me of myself, and lately I've been seeing things in dreams that seem familiar. Do you know anything about this Anastasia girl?"

Maverick was silent for a moment, but then he answered me. "I see. I think I could help you understand that." He stood up and smiled at me. "Come with me."

"Good. Leo, would you-" I looked back at him, only to find him holding one hand to his head and leaning against one side of the chair he was sitting in.

"You okay?" I asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, just a headache." He answered quietly.

"You stay here then, I'll go." I turned back to Maverick, ready to learn this truth. "Lets go."

"Ah, Carrie." He suddenly interrupted. "Before we talk about Anastasia though, I have something in my office to share with you first."

* * *

><p>As she walked away, my thoughts began to drift back to the dream from last night. The mystery surrounding the two teens from that vision had been on my mind all day. Whatever Maverick was going to share with her about that girl might just answer some of those questions I had.<p>

Although, when I really thought about it, it was starting to make sense. The whispers of memoeries I'd seen and heard, the familar look of that girl, it was starting to click.

Maybe, knowing this is a far speculation, me and Carrie are tied to those two somehow, and, if they know Alice, Jack, and Glen, maybe we're tied to the Tragety of Sablier.

I'll wait for her to get back, knowing she could possibly shed some light on this, but, I don't think that was going to answer the biggest question I had; why Anastasia looked so much like Carrie.

Well, whatever the case, I would really like to hear what she says after she comes back.

Speaking of Carrie, lately, I've been getting a strange feeling whenever I'm around her. Every time she smiled happily, it made my heart feel lighter for some reason. Back when I had cried in her arms, she had cried slightly too, and when I caught a glance at her face, I felt a sudden twinge in my chest, like it hurt to see her cry.

She had been with me from the very first day we met, and, even though we were friends, I couldn't shake the fact that some part of me wanted us to be something more. She wasn't Elliot, that was for sure, but she seemed to stabilize me in some way.

Every graceful step she took, every smile, everything about her, down to her soft beige hair and her ice blue eyes, it was like a dancing light.

It's quite odd. So, I wonder, could I, maybe, possibly...be falling in love with her?

* * *

><p>"Okay, let's set this aside for now." I said, folding a piece of paper and putting it in my pocket. "You say you know something about Anastasia?"<p>

"Of course. I do have a file on this girl, and, ironically, whether you want to hear this or not, it involves you."

I tilted my head to the side as he went to a cabinet and opened it. "Eh? What does it have to do with me?"

"You said this girl reminded you of yourself." He said. "Well, here's a sketch of her, according to descriptions of this girl."

He handed me the sketch and I just about dropped it when my eyes saw the girl's face. Her hair was longer than mine, but her face looked almost like mine. She wore a dress just like the one I saw in my dream, and her figure was slim, like mine. In all, this was what Anastasia looked like in the dream, and now that I look at her picture, there were hints of me in her.

"She...she looks like-"

"Like you?" Maverick finished for me.

"Yeah."

He chuckled as he opened the file. "There is a legend. It says that after a soul dies, it wanders for 100 years before being reborn. You've heard this, no?"

"Sure. Those things were said about Jack Vessalius and Glen Baskerville 100 years after the Tragedy of Sablier."

"Well, after you and Leo joined Pandora, I noticed that you seemed similar to young Anastasia. I did some research and came to a conclusion."

"Which would be what?"

He came closer to me, making me nervous. "You are the reincarnation of Anastasia Mouchette."

* * *

><p>I was beginning to wonder how long they would be talking. It had only been a few minutes, but I was getting a bit impatient, and I wasn't feeling too good right now. I hadn't gone with Carrie because I had suddenly gotten a headache, and now it was getting worse. For the past few days, I had been getting headaches like this frequently, but I never told her, simply because they weren't as bad as right now.<p>

A groan escaped my lips as set my glasses on the table and leaned forward to let my head rest on its cool wooden surface, not like that would help any. I drew in a breath, trying to relax while I waited for Carrie.

**"The incuse."**

I slowly lifted my head up to see who had said that, but there was no one here. That's odd. If there was on one here, then who could of possibly...

**"Still remaining."**

I froze, realizing it. _'No. No, it can't be! Why, after it finally stopped? This can't be!' _

"Shut up!" I hissed. "I don't need you intruding into my life anymore, so just be quiet."

**"It was never your choice."**

"I told you to shut up!"

**"You think you outran it, you think it vanished from here, but it's till there, invisible to yourself."** I grabbed my head, my hands tightly grasping my hair. The earlier pain had now turned into an intense dagger-like pain that pulsed throughout my skull, and is it just me or is it getting warmer in here? Everything had started spinning, and adding along to the current pain I felt, It was too much.

"I can't take it!" I bolted up from my seat and rushed out of the room, not being able to stay in there any longer. I ran out into the hall and collapsed onto my knees, breathing heavily as beads of sweet started to roll down my forehead, my eyes looking at the floor.

**"Ah, foolish boy." **The voice spoke up again. **"I may not be here this time around, but a fragment remains, and that seal remains too."**

I tugged on the collar of my buttoned shirt desperately for some reason, but then I felt something else.

"Ahh!" I cried out as I fell to the floor. My chest felt like it was burning.

**"See. You still can't outrun it." **It said mockingly, although, it had a familiar dark tone in it.

_'S-someone help...p-please!' _I thought desperately as I lay on the floor struggling against the searing pain, continuously pulling on my shirt, clutching the fabric.

Then, I thought I saw a black feather on the floor a few feet away. **"No one can hear you, so sleep."**

Everything became too much; the explosions of pain in my head, the burning sensation in my chest, the beat of my heart growing faster, this voice...all of it. Everything around me began to blur and I felt like someone else was here, pushing me into that dark void and taking my place. I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't do anything.

Her name echoed around as I lost control and let the pain consume me.

_'Carrie...'_

* * *

><p>"Anastasia Mouchette." Maverick started to explain. "She was born in 1705 to the Mouchette family, a third rate noble house. Although, she spent most of her time around the Vessalius house. It is said that she was friends with Jack Vessalius and Alice, but her closest was that of a certain Aaron Chapman, a boy also of a third rate noble house."<p>

"Yeah. In the dream, and in the journal, these were both clear. She addressed him as a very sickly, shy, and stubborn person." I added.

"Correct. However, it is said that she, along with that boy and many others as well, died in 1711, on the day of the Tragedy of Sablier."

"I still don't see why you would think that I'm her reincarnation."

"Like I said, legend says that a soul will wander for 100 years until it is reborn, and you say you see familiar things in dreams. Well, I guess it's gone through the cycle twice if you truly are her reincarnation."

"Can souls do that?" I questioned.

"Of course. Glen Baskerville's soul did, always repeating the cycle."

I was quiet for a few minutes, trying to think this through, but then I turned my eyes up at him. "That's what Raven said to me, saying that I was tied to that day. But, I've been thinking about something else too. Raven also told me that Leo is tied to it in some way too."

"What are your thoughts then?"

"I sensed Raven's words to hold true. So, I've been thinking. Anastasia's friend, Aaron, I can't quite understand it, but somehow, there's a certain shine in his eyes that reminds me of-"

I was cut off by a loud bang, well, more like an explosion. Me and Maverick cast a glance at each other before we dashed back to the room we were previously in. There was a light smoke in the area and it took a few moments for it to dissipate before we saw what awaited us here.

The entryway was destroyed, and the hall outside the room had a gaping hole in it. And among other things, Leo was gone.

"What happened here?" Maverick wondered.

"I don't know." I said as I looked around. Then, on the table were we had all been sitting at, I saw a pair of glasses, Leo's glasses. "Maverick, look here."

He came over to me as I picked up the glasses. "Aren't those the glasses that Leo-kun wears?"

"Yeah." I answered putting them in my pocket. "But why are they here?"

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Carrie-kun, since he's missing at the moment, why don't you go find him?"

I tightened my hands into fists and decided to follow his suggestion. "You're right."

"Good. I'll try and figure out what happened, so go find him."

"Got it." I said as I gave him one final look and dashed off, going through the hole that had been created and outside to search for him.

* * *

><p>"Leo!" I called out as wondered around. At this point, I wasn't even at Pandora any more, I'd ended up in the park instead.<p>

_'How eerie.'_ I thought. _'There's no one here.'_

True, without anyone here, it was getting spooky. I cupped my hands around my mouth and called out his name again. "Leo!"

A sudden gust of cold air made me finch as I continued on towards the pond. It was a clear day out, but it was a bit chilly, which was odd because it was supposed to be warm today. Then again, this season did waver when you're talking about weather conditions.

Just then, a feather floated past my field of vision. I turned my eyes to watch it as it floated down, and as it hit the ground, the sun shined on it just at the right angle to make a glare off it. Now I could see that it was a black feather.

_'Huh?'_ I picked up the feather and stared at it. _'I didn't accidentally release Raven again, did I?'_

That couldn't be it, because I couldn't feel its power. But then, where did this black feather come from?

"Carrie."

Another gust of cold air came by as I stopped walking and I slowly turned to face that voice.

"Leo." I said, smiling. "I'm so glad I found you."

As much as I was glad to have found him, there seemed to be something different. The atmosphere around him seemed dark and tense. Here, I could faintly sense the power of a Chain, and it was different from Raven's. To put it simply, it was a more intense power, and laced with crazed furry.

"What are you doing here?" He asked in a tone that was almost monotone.

"I should be asking you the same, but, something happened at Pandora while I was talking to Maverick about Anastasia, and when I came back, I found that you were gone." I explained. "Now that I've found you though, we have to go back. Let's go."

"No. I won't join you." He answered plainly.

My eyes widened in shock. "W-what?"

"I'm not going back with you."

"Leo, what are you talking about?" I asked anxiously, wanting to know what exactly what he meant.

"I believe I just said that, didn't I?"

I shook my head, letting out a small chuckle and starting to walk towards him. "Ah, Leo. Did you hit your head or something? But, come on. We have to-"

Just then, I heard a soft swishing sound, like something was cutting the air itself, and then there was a light sting across my cheek. Slowly, I brought my hand up to where I had felt that, only to feel something wet on my fingertips. I looked at my hand and saw blood there; something had cut me.

"Things have changed." He said, gazing on at me.

"Le-" I was cut off again when I saw something come towards me out of the corner of my eye. In the next moment, I let out a cry of pain as it made contact with my arm. I slapped my hand to the wound, realizing that whatever it was had only grazed my arm.

I looked up to Leo, only to see a few feathers in the air, and a chain returning back to him. The wind had picked up around us to a wild pace, and through it, I could see his bangs being blown back, revealing his eyes, but something had changed.

His eyes were no longer that beautiful violet, but a dark sliver-ish black.

"I think it's about time that you face it." He spoke, the ground faintly glowing beneath him. "I am not the person you once knew. That person is locked away, and for this one moment, I am no longer 'Leo'."

_'What? How could he possibly not be-'_ Then it clicked in my mind. _'Oh no. No way! That's impossible! How can it still be there?'_

What I had just realized, It did inded seem imposible. However, thinking back to what that Baskerville girl had said, how he reacted when she pulled back his bangs and he struggled against her, sounding afraid. When he had spoken to me, his voice held a darker tone, almost like that evil person from long ago. It was all very clear, and it was something I was deeply afraid of, but I thought was no more.

_'Glen Baskerville...he's still there!'_

"Moreover, you are a very volatile existence, and I have to erase you for that."

_'Erase?' _

The ground that had been glowing faintly beneath his feet now lit up completely. More black feathers erupted into the sky and more chains started to emerge. I had to cover my eyes for a moment, but when I could see again, I could see eyes much like that of my own Chain, however, this one was different.

A creature appeared behind him that was rather large, pitch black except for its piercing red eyes, and looked like a cross between a bug and a bird. Its wings were black as well, and as it looked down at me, I knew what this was.

This was a Chain, one of the five legendary black winged bird-like Chains, and said to be the most powerful. Somehow, I don't know how, it was still in Leo's possession, even if he didn't know or the incuse wasn't visible. What I was facing wasn't entirely Leo, and the creature was his Chain that he was still contracted to, even now.

Jabberwock.

**Yeah, I know, but I felt like wanting to do that (insert evil grin). Next time, confrontation between Carrie and Leo! As always, feel free to reveiw. Much appreceated.**


	18. Fire and Ice

**This chapter is all told from Carrie's point of veiw. I watched a movie last night called Jabberwock, and it so reminded me of Pandora Hearts. (you know what I'm talking about.) It didn't look anything like the one in the manga though, so I went back to my room about halfway through, that and most movies have bored me this week. (except from when I watched Battle: Los Angeles two days ago! Epic!)**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way**

Chapter 17: Fire and Ice

"Jabberwock." I hissed.

Jabberwock; a wretched Chain that I despised so much. Even though it was faithful to its contractor, it was aggressive and reckless, not to mention those crazed eyes. None the less, Jabberwock was extremely powerful, and it would unleash its power upon command. Even with its threatening stare, I knew that I still needed to help Leo. However, if I was to have any chance at this, I needed to fight back with my own dark Chain.

"Raven." I softly called. The wind howled around me, the chains emerging, dark feathers swirling. It responded to my command and the ground lit up beneath me as it emerged. I heard its shrieking cry ripple through the sky as its power started to flow through me. This time, I was in control.

"Seems you've called out your Chain." Leo said.

"You think I have a choice?" Seriously, I didn't have any other options.

"No, that is what your instinct tells you. Even though your intentions are clear, Raven can't match the power of this Chain."

"Just, please...stop!" My voice sounded broken. The chains fueled by my emotions and laced with Raven's power lashed out at him, but they never touched him, nor Jabberwock. It was as if they were being blocked.

"You stand and fight, that is commendable, but it's hopeless."

"No, that's...Leo, snap out of this. I know you can!"

"You're just a pathetic little girl. You nor Raven can change what was already decided."

"Leo..." I cried. "Stop it!"

He didn't reply, only raised his arm and a silver iron chain shot out towards me, a wild and fast moving one.

"Leo!" The chain was coming at me, it's sharp point ready to pierce my flesh. And yet, Leo just stood there, watching me with those dark eyes.

_'No, Leo! Why is this happening? Why can't I reach you?'_

There was no stopping the chain coming straight for me.

_"But you could. You know that."_

The senery changed in a blink of an eye, and I wasn't in the park anymore. I was in a world surrounded by black with small orbs of light here and there and I was standing in a pool of water. There were also iron chains here. They slithered around, but for some reason didn't bind me inside them, they just kept hovering around me, like they were walls.

_"To think, we'd never get to really talk this way, and in such a dreary situation."_

In front of me, I was barley able to see feathers, but I saw those eyes, the piercing yet menacing ones that I knew now as those of my Chain.

My mouth formed that name of the ominous Chain. _'Raven.'_

_"Heh...Carrie."_ Raven said, its dark and distant voice echoed all around me. _"That fragment inside that boy is of Glen Baskerville, right?_

There was a mocking tone in its voice, but I could tell, it knew about the current situation.

_'Y-yes. I believe so.' _I was surprised at my own voice, how scared I sounded. _'I don't know why or how. He was the container 200 years ago, so why? Why was there a fragment left in him?'_

_"There are many mysteries in this world. Yours and Leo's are examples."_ Raven replied. _"Things from 200, even 300 years ago, it's a mystery. The fragment imbedded inside him, that too is a mystery. But he is still there you know? Just open your eager eyes, and look inside. You'll find him."_

_'You don't get it. Leo...he won't listen to my words, like I'm nothing anymore.'_ My eyes forced themselves shut tightly as I looked down at the water._ 'His eyes, the ones he hides...they're not violet anymore, there a treacherous black, like gazing into the depths of the Abyss...' _

_"I can see that, my dear, but he hasn't forgotten you." _ I was taken by surprise and looked up at Raven.

_'Eh?'_

_"A swirling mix of emotions is within him, and yet if anyone could do anything, it would be someone close to him, someone like you."_

_'Me? But what can I do?'_ I shouted. _'There's no way I could ever snap him out of this, and I don't understand why? He's submerged in darkness, and that fragment locked him away, his current state won't recognize me nor care about who I am, even if you are my Chain and I am his friend!.'_

_"Yes. But only you...only you can reach his heart."_ Raven said. Suddenly, something that felt like hands covered my eyes. _"__Because you are the descendent...the descendent of Elliot Nightray. And from 300 years ago, you have that power."_

_'I...understand.' _I replied as fingers parted over my eyes.

Everything snapped back into reality, I was back in the park, and time was speeding back up. There were dark swirling clouds everywhere, a dark aura radiating from Leo, a vicious black bird above him, and there was a chain coming right at me.

In one quick movement, I raised my arm in front of me, and another chain came up to block the one attacking, following the motion of my arm. The chain receded and I lowed my arm, bringing my gaze up to met Leo's. Those eyes were filled with darkness, not the deep violet that I knew.

"Leo," I started. "Why? This isn't like you. Why are you letting yourself become overruled with the same dark emotions that I used to have?"

"Little girl, you don't know anything." His voice was flat and monotone.

"Yes, I do!" I yelled. "Look, I don't understand the basics behind this or why exactly you were chosen 200 years ago, why there's still a fragment within you, or how we are both tied to the

Tragedy of Sablier!"

"Because you can't comprehend these things from the past."

_'No, that's not it. It's a diversion from what I see.'_ As if without any command, my feet started moving on their own. They moved onward towards him, because I knew what to do. Like Raven said, I have that power, even if I don't understand what is it or why I have it.

"That might be true, but I do know this." Those haywire chains just keep coming, but I block them, just moving my had slightly in each direction. Now, I'm no more than 10 feet in front of him, the wild air blowing around us. "I know these emotions that tear away at your heart, I've felt them too."

"But yours were those of when you found out Jack was dead and this body would be the next container."

_'W-what?'_ Did this fragment know things from Sabiler that tied to me and Leo?

"T-that's not the point!" My emotions were boiling over, my desperation stretched to a limit. "Leo, where did you go?"

"It wasn't your choice to make. These feelings you show now, they don't affect me."

That was a lie, an absolute lie! "Liar. You've had these emotions. 'Cause, I was that way at one time, but, I overcame it. Before I met you, it wasn't as strong, but I would lay in my bed, wide awake listening to rain, and I wanted to be something worth remembering, not a lonely face."

I stepped closer, he didn't flinch from me, but was staring at me with those black eyes. "It all changed when I met you."

_"Go on, Carrie."_ Raven's voice echoed in my head.

"Leo, look at me." The wind was wilder now, our hair blowing wildly in the wicked air. "This isn't right. I don't want this, and you know Elliot would of agreed with me!"

His eyes grew wide, and I saw hints of faint violet among the darkness. I knew he didn't really talk much about Elliot, simply because he didn't want to, but this was the only way to reach his heart. I was pouring all my thoughts, my feelings into this effort.

"He wouldn't want his precious servant to be this way, he would of fought for you. It wasn't your fault back then. So now, I...I will fight in his stead!"

I cupped his head in my hands and pulled him into a kiss. It was just a sudden impulse that made me do this, and honestly, I didn't expect my first kiss to be like this. We were friends, but somewhere inside me, I longed for us to be more. As I found myself lost in the moment, somewhere within it, everything circled back around, giving me it's clearance.

Whether I was a friend of Jack 300 years ago, a descendent of Elliot, or the inheritor of Raven, beyond that I was just a young girl. A small wandering young girl. Here and now, it doesn't matter. The things about Leo, they don't matter ether. I want him back, I want him to be here with me, I want...to be us.

_'Please, Leo. I know you can hear me. Open your heart, free yourself, break free.'_ I was trying with all my will, praying to the heavens for light in this darkness. _'Leo, I'm begging you...come back to me!'_

I felt the wind calm down, and a warm feeling ran through me. I slowly disconnected my lips from Leo's and pushed back his bangs, which had covered his eyes again, and looked into those violet pools. The black inkiness was receding, that calm violet being let in. The black bird above us faded away, and everything had returned to its quiet state.

As I gazed into his eyes, it's was as if he realized everything. I put my hands on his shoulders, but I felt tears in my eyes.

"Ell-" He blinked before realizing it was me. "C-Carrie..."

His eyes closed and he fell into my arms, sinking to my knees as I caught him in my grip. I put my arms around him and held him close to me.

I knew there was still feelings of guilt in his heart, and it was hurting him. Even though, he was calm, observant, and affected by very few things, I've seen him when he broke down and cried. He wanted to protect me, I knew that, and it wasn't because I discovered to really Elliot's descendent, or because I looked like him and inherited his personality, but it was because...

_"Carrie, thank you. You've opened my eyes to so many things. You are the kindest person and I think of you as...a close friend." _

Those words, they were imbedded in my mind, and ever since, I've wanted to give him some sort of light to help his world shine brighter. I wanted to find some way, to let his feelings about his master's death be forgiven, I wanted him to let go of his guilt, and I...

I wanted Leo to be comforted by that light which had left him an apology.

_(Flashback)_

_"Carrie-kun, we do know one thing."_

_She turned to Maverick, her interest perked by this. "What do you mean?"_

_"Well, unbeknownst to everyone but a few members in Pandora, including you and me, we've discovered rumors of a scripture linked to revival." He explained._

_"A scripture?"_

_"Yes." He took a paper of his desk and handed to Carrie. "We've confirmed the title of this scripture is called La Pri__ère pour les Morts__."_

_She looked at the title and recognized the words written there, having studied the French language in the past._

_"Prayer for the Fallen" A scripture linked to revival. A thought began to form in her mind, but then her eyes widened, looking up from the paper and staring at Maverick, who was just smiling. "Wait, I've heard that this was an old French song."_

_He laughed, as if it was a joke. "Yes. But it turns out it was also the name of an ancient scripture written 250 years ago. The words are the same, and I knew that you'd be interested, considering that friend of yours."_

_**'Ah, Leo...' **__Her dear friend, Leo. Back 200 years ago, his master, Elliot Nightray, had died at Oz Vessalius' second coming-of-age ceremony, which had gone awry, and quite horribly at that. Afterwards, he'd been taken into custody by Pandora, and the records said that he had started to go insane, saying it was his fault Elliot was dead. _

_Carrie believed differently, she believed it was all because of that Chain, whose name she had come to hate, but she knew Leo still felt guilt in his heart. Ever since they had met, it was there, and it was becoming more apparent, not just affecting him physically, but mentally as well. _

_**'If this scripture really does exist, then maybe, just maybe...'**_

_"Hmm. You're thinking about bring back your ancestor, his master and friend, Elliot."_

_Carrie shuddered and her grip tensed on the paper in her hand. "H-how...how the hell did you-?"_

_"You're easy to read." Maverick replied. "I've seen how you react when Leo-kun talks about him, and that time, when he let it all flow, you felt pity."_

_She blinked, but then sighed. "And so the master psychologist strikes again."_

_"Quite, quite. If you were to find said scripture, it would be of good use, not only to you, but to Leo-kun as well. However," He walked up to Carrie and took her wrist, sending a shiver through her body. "A one-way use at that requires something. Not a soul, nothing drastic, but it would require the blood of a direct descendent."_

_He let go of her, smirking as he sat back down on the desk._

_"But, since I inherited Raven, I'm...already qualified, aren't I?"_

_(End flashback)_

Tears slowly rolled down my face, but determination filled me, a new goal set.

I won't die easy, and I won't let the mistakes of 200 years ago to be repeated in this time. My story of Raven being my Chain is similar to that of Elliot and the Chain Humpty Dumpty, but things have already changed.

This wasn't caused by Leo, even if I don't remember. I have a legal contract with Raven, contained in the blood sealing mirror. He will rise through this, and not go insane like last time, which drove him into that madness and gave more strength to Glen Baskerville, whose spirit dwelled within his soul back then.

Things have changed now, and I will help and protect Leo, no matter what. If I die, it would be for those I care about and I will fight against everything that comes my way, but I won't die yet.

"Leo, I promise, right here and right now," I said, knowing he couldn't hear me, but I wanted to say it. I needed to say it with my own voice, the heavens above as my witness.

"I'll...I'll definitely get Elliot back!"

**Hah! A new goal is set, filled with determination. And it appears Carrie will not rest until she achives this goal. Feel free to reveiw, as always.**


	19. Through All The Tears

**Hey, I'm back with another chapter. I'm posting this real quick because I have to head out into town tonight and won't get back till probably 8:00-ish...? Anyhow, this chapter is sort of the aftermath of what happened in chapter 17. Enjoy!**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way**

Chapter 18: Through All The Tears

I leaned up against the doorway of Leo's room, breathing deeply, comprehending the events of earlier. It was as if it had all been a dream, but I knew it wasn't. I've never been this way, how I begged for him to return to me, how I could of shown emotions like that. I never knew I could be that broken, and yet I was right now, as was Leo. We both were broken right now.

For some reason, I don't know how it's possible, but a fragment of Glen Baskerville awoke within him. He'd then summoned his Chain, Jabberwock against me, which made me summon my Chain, Raven. Luckily, nether of us were hurt (well except for one chain the grazed my arm and scratched my face), but after Leo returned to normal, he fainted in my arms. I had no choice but to carry him back to the house, which made my shoulder ache afterwards.

I gazed at Leo, silently sleeping in his bed, his face peaceful and obviously in a deep sleep. I had placed his glasses on the nightstand, otherwise he might freak when he wakes up. (those glasses were important to him) He was fine now, but I wasn't sure how long he'd be asleep. Just looking at him, I thought back to a song I heard long ago.

I opened my mouth to say something, but I couldn't. I ran to the balcony and said it there.

"Dammit!"

* * *

><p>Sasha came home later. I heard her sigh and I knew that she found I turned the woodstove on. I didn't really care what she said to me at this point.<p>

The door to my room was open, and Sasha found me imminently.

"Carrie, are you alright? I heard something happened at the park in Reveil, but I didn't get any other details besides that." She walked in and pushed the door closed behind her, but it still remained open a bit. I didn't look at her, only to the bedding of my bed. She gasped suddenly though, most likely from my bandaged arm and the cut on my face.

"Carrie, what the hell happened? Are you hurt?" She started examining my arm and it annoyed me. In effect, I slapped her hand away.

"Stop it!" I hissed. "I'm perfectly fine."

Sasha wasn't convinced. My injuries were minor, but she knew I was troubled emotionally. She took my hand and looked directly into my eyes.

"What's wrong?"

I gulped and slowly formed a name. "Leo."

* * *

><p>When I opened my eyes, I found that I was back in my room at Carrie's house, still wearing the same clothes from before. There was a small lamp nearby that gave a little light to the room and the curtains were closed. My glasses were on the nightstand and I picked them up, gazing at the surface. Carrie had once said they were like one-way glasses through which I could see, but she couldn't see my eyes.<p>

Wait, Carrie!

I remembered something, like an intense pounding in my head and a familiar voice. Then I blacked out, isolated in a black oblivion. When I came back, only for a second, I realized what had happened (somewhat) and saw Carrie looking at me, concern written across her face. I think I said her name, and then that was the last thing I remember.

I sat up in bed, surprised at how much my body ached. The door was slightly open, and I felt a slight curiosity, but fear at the same time. I wanted to go find Carrie, apologize for all this. For that long time, when I was in the empty silence, I now knew that the person who resided in me had taken control. I briefly knew this had happened back in my time, although, it wasn't exactly caused by that person, instead done by my own hand, and I wanted to apologize for that happening here. Back then, I never meant to.

Slowly, I got out of bed and walked over to the door. I carefully opened it and looked down the hall, knowing her room was down that way. My steps were staggered, but I still looked around, looking for her face.

"Leo." I heard someone say as I walked by a door. Carrie? Had she called my name?

"Leo? Did something happen between you and him?" No, she hadn't called my name. She was talking to her sister. I went back to the door and looked inside. The door was open a little, but I could still see inside. Carrie was sitting on her bed, Sasha was there also.

"He...it's..." Tears began to slide down her cheeks and she flopped down on her bed, breaking out into sobs.

"Carrie." Sasha said softly.

"Do you know what happened to Leo a few days after Elliot's death 200 years ago?"

"No. Not really."

"He went mad." Her answer was so simple, but choked with sorrow.

"Like Mad Hatter mad?"

"No, it was worse." She cried out once more. "He lashed out at Oz Vessalius with that insane Chain, Jabberwock. Today, history repeated itself."

"Wait, you saw Jabberwock?" Sasha sounded as if she was unable to believe it.

"Yes."

"What was it like?"

Carrie glared at her sister with extreme annoyance. "Terrifying, dark, malevolent, insane. Just as the records say, all those things in that black creature. It's hard to grasp that its actually a bird-like Chain."

"So, by history repeating itself...oh, I see." Sasha said, finally realizing what Carrie meant. "Is he alright?"

"Yeah, back to normal, I managed to snap him out of it. He's sleeping right now."

She buried her head back in her sheets as Sasha put a hand on her back. I barley remembered that day she was talking about, but I knew what she said was true. Back then, I wasn't sure what I'd been thinking, but I think for that one moment, my own madness and guilt consumed me.

"I...I don't understand. Why?" She cried out. "Why, after all this time? Why was there a fragment left inside him?"

"No one could of known, Carrie." Sasha said, trying to calm her down.

"But...I just want to protect him!"

My heart nearly stopped when I heard her shout this. She wanted to...protect me? When she brought me to the hospital the day we met, when she stood up for me when those boys bullied her about us, when she comforted me when I broke down and cried, and when she came after me when I'd been taken, acidently summoning Raven in the process...it was so clear! All those times, it was all for me. She truly did care.

"It's like in that song by Hammock, he threw himself away. But, I won't let him fall into madness again! I won't let it happen like it did back in his time. Never again!" She proclaimed. "I know he feels guilty about what happened to Elliot, our ancestor and his master, but I know he'll be able to overcome it."

"If there was a way, I know you would do it, because that's who you are."

"I...I would." She sounded sleepy. "All for...Leo, my dear...friend."

With that, I assume she fell asleep. I looked at her one last time, looked at her tear filled face, her slightly messy beige hair, before I walked away, her words still resounding through me.

_'But...I just want to protect him!'_

* * *

><p>The flames of the woodstove danced playfully, and I watched them through my glasses. A crackling and flicker of the flames. How bright they seemed to glow, sending their light and shadow across the room. As dazzling as they were, they could also be the flames of battle. How quickly things could change.<p>

"Hey, I thought Carrie said you were sleeping." I turned my head to see Sasha standing a few feet away from me. "Is it really a good idea for you to be up and about?"

"I don't really know anymore." I muttered, turning back to the fire.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean I can't understand anything." I sighed, closing my eyes and laying back on the couch. "If you know, then, I don't really know if I can trust myself."

"Leo, you can't possibly-"

"I can't, Sahsa!" I snapped. "Back then, before I found myself in this time, I died. I knew that when I first woke up in the Abyss. Here, I thought all the sufferings I had to endure were over. I thought those lights were gone, the voices no more, that person who dwelt within me was gone; I guess I was wrong. I can still see them, I heard that voice in Reveil, I'm still contracted to Jabberwock, and that person is still there. How could I trust myself anymore?"

I heard Sasha sigh and I opened my eyes to see her looking at me with a light smile. "Leo, I can't possibly know what you're feeling right now, but I can assure you, I still think you're fine the way you are, no mater what's happened."

I thought about her words, and yet, I still couldn't accept them. "Thanks."

She then sat down in a chair next to me and stared off into the fire also. "So...what do you think of my sister?"

Okay, that caught me off guard. She had changed the subject and was now asking me about Carrie? What was this, some kind of mind game?

"She's, um, very kind and agile." I answered, a blush spreading across my face.

"I see." She stretched her legs and leaned back in the chair. "Well, I'm just telling you now, she used to be such a sad girl."

"Huh?" It's kind of hard to believe that Carrie would ever be sad in any way. Then again, it's not impossible, since I just saw her crying her eyes out.

"You see, back about five years ago, she would paint things people saw as dark and depressing." Sasha explained. "And the things she would write, just to describe fascination to the records and dreams, people in her school viewed her as insane. When our parents died and when she developed a likening towards steam punk culture, she was only viewed more dark in their eyes. She didn't really have any friends, she was just a lonely girl. But, things changed one day when she did something valiant."

"What would that be, Sasha?"

"One of her friends was trapped in a fire, and she risked her life to save them. She said it was because she wasn't about to lose anything else. From that day on, she became more likeable, and she helps out around town a lot."

_'That's the Carrie I know.' _I thought to myself, smiling.

"She is really kind. I like seeing her laugh, I hate seeing her cry. I owe her so much for saving my life the day we met, and I don't know what would of happened to me if we never met." I said to Sasha, my feelings just automatically pouring out. "I know she looks a lot like Elliot, but that isn't the reason I'm glad she's my friend. It's because of who she really is. I wouldn't make any mistake if I had to save her from any trouble, and I want to help her find out the secrets of the past. In one way or another, I'm starting to believe that we're both tied to the Tragety of Sablier; I'll help her find those answers"

What was I saying? I've never even said this to Carrie, and yet I was telling her sister. Still, I didn't have an idea as to why I was letting my thoughts flow like this.

"You know, Carrie would lay down her life for you." I looked back at Sasha, a light smile on her face. "She'll do very well to protect her self, but she'll fight for anyone she cares about. You may not have noticed, but she thinks very fondly of you. She wants to protect you. If you ever feel down, you could talk to her, she'll listen."

"She will? Heh, just like Elliot." I sighed.

"Elliot Nightray was your master in your time, right?" She asked. "What was he like?"

I thought this over, every moment I'd spent with Elliot. "Well, he's hot headed, and doesn't really listen well to others, oh, and even if he seems smart, he's still an idiot. However, he wouldn't hesitate to protect me or the people he cares about. I think Carrie inherited his personality too."

"Some of that anyway." We both shared a laugh, then she got up from the chair. "Well, think about what we've both said, okay? I'm going to bed and so should you."

As soon as she left, I looked back at the flickering flames of the fire, I thought about all the things I said, and my current friendship with Carrie. Just for a moment though, among the flames, I thought I saw her smiling face.

**Good ending. Gotta leave now, but you'll see more tomorrow! Feel free to review, as always. (Gosh, I know I'm repetative.)**


	20. Sablier, 1711, Leo

**Another dream chapter, like from chapter 15, but this time told from Leo's perspective. Only four days till the next chapter in the manga. Can't wait! Although, it will probably be late again. Sigh. On the other side, vol.7 comes out next month! XD**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

Chapter 19: Sablier, 1711 (Leo)

"Anna!" A voice called out. "Anna, where are you?"

I turned around to find myself in a parlor; a white marble floor, pictures of different people on the walls, and a polished wooden staircase. The entirety of it was nicely set up and looked like it had just been cleaned. At the base of the staircase I saw a familiar black haired boy sit down, putting his head in his hands.

"Man, where did that girl go off to?" He muttered. He took his hands off his face and looked at the floor. I took this opportunity to look around the parlor, and I looked up just in time to see a girl come around the corner of the upper floor and look down at the boy. I knew very well who this girl is; Anastasia. Then that meant the other is her friend, Aaron.

I saw Anastasia smile and she gently walked down the stairs, careful not to make a sound as she sneaked up behind Aaron. She stopped behind him and leaned in towards him, a sly smile on her face.

"Hey, Aaron." She piped up.

He turned around sharply and fell backwards, letting out a startled yelp as he did. She lightly chuckled and straightened up as he lay on the marble floor. She quickly noticed him there and her smile faded into a half smile.

"Uh, Aaron?"

He groaned and titled his head up at her. "I told you to stop that."

"Stop what?" She gave him a it-wasn't-me look.

"You know." He growled. "Stop sneaking up on me like that."

"Right." She replied, trailing off on the word. "Why don't we go outside? It's spring and the flowers are in bloom."

"I guess so."

She helped him get up and they went off into another room, which left me alone in the parlor.

_'Yeah, it's definitely those two again.' _I thought. _'But, this time, I could find out if we really are tied to them in some way. This is my chance!'_

I walked through the door that they had gone through, only to find myself now in a garden. It was as like Anastasia had said, all the flowers were in bloom and they varied in different types and colors. I looked over to a small river and found them by it, the girl picking a white daisy and handing it to Aaron.

"Here." She said as he took the flower.

"Thanks."

"So," She knelt down and put her hand in the water, allowing it to wash over her hand. "You actually snuck out this time."

"That doesn't matter." He replied coolly. "If I want to see one of my friends, I can do that. I have a right to, just as I have a right to go outside whenever I please."

She took her hand out of the water and straightened up to face him. "Ah, there you go with that again."

"What? I'm only saying what's true."

"I know, and I think you are right in saying that. However, you keep repeating it over and over." She smiled and lightly punched him on the arm.

"You've never complained before."

"Well, if you believe that," She said, ignoring his previous sentence. "Then what reason do you have for saying it now?"

He smirked at her and slightly pushed her back with one hand. Anastasia looked at him with surprise, giving him a did-you-really-just-push-me look in her eyes. She let out a small chuckle and tried to push him back, but he held up his arms in defense, resulting in her tripping over his feet and falling into the river. She wasn't the only one though, just then grabbing Aaron's arms and taking her with him.

I couldn't help but let out a laugh at these two. Aaron sat up and proceeded to splash her with water, Anastasia laughing and using her arm as a shield to block the water. After a few minutes, they got out and I decided to sit on a little wooden bench near them.

"Aw, you got my dress all wet!" She exclaimed as I sat on the bench.

"Now who's the one who's complaining?" He asked.

"Real funny." She shook her head, desperately trying to dry her hair off this way. "Now, since my dress is layered, could you please take off the upper layer so I'm not wearing a completely wet heap as my clothing?"

"What?"

"Just do it. I'll still have the other layer of my dress on."

He reluctantly did as she said. When he was finished, she was wearing nothing more than a white laced dress that was probably the other layer she had mentioned, and threw the wet upper layer of the dress off to the side.

"Okay, your turn." He said to her. She let out a low growl, as if she knew this was payback for a few moments ago, and removed his coat for him, then unbuttoning his white undershirt. After she was done, she sat back and stared at him.

"Hey," She said after a few minutes of silence. "Are you alright? You seem thinner than before."

His eyes widened for the slightest second, but then relaxed, pulling the fabric of the shirt closer to him. "Yeah. Why are you asking?"

A blush spread across her face and she looked away from him. "Oh! N-nothing!"

More silence passed by, and I sat here observing it all. _'I don't really know about this. I mean, this isn't really going anywhere. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe-'_

"Hey, Aaron." She said, interrupting my thoughts. "Do you, um, believe in reincarnation?"

"Huh?"

"Well, once, Glen-sama said to me that it is in all possible, that souls can wander for 100 years before being reborn."

In a sense, Anastasia was right. That's what was said about Oz-kun, resulting in many rumors about him being the reincarnation of Jack Vessalius. The same thing had been said about me too, when in truth, I had merely inherited Glen Baskerville's soul; I wasn't his reincarnation. Anyways, there was an old tale, and, just like she had said, it stated that after a soul wanders aimlessly for 100 years, it can be reborn.

"Do you believe that?" Aaron asked, being careful of his words.

"Well, I don't really know. I mean, when he told me, he didn't seem to be lying." She sighed and lied down on the grass, looking up at the sky. "But, do you think the possibility exists? If we really did get reborn, it would be as different people, no memories of one another."

"Yeah, but still," He laid down on his back as well, turning his head to her. "I know one thing. The soul never forgets, so, we'd find each other one day."

"So, you're agreeing with me."

"I'm not picking one or the other, but, I'll go along with that possibility."

"Do you think much will have changed in that time?"

"Not really. However, I hope Sablier will stay this way forever, a thriving city."

Wait a minute, did he say Sablier? But, then, based on this and that other dream I've had of those two, this could only mean...

_'I'm in Sablier, 300 years ago before it was dropped into the Abyss'_ I concluded.

"On another note," He slipped his hand into hers and smiled. "I hope your eyes remain an icy blue in that time, and maybe mine will remain silver too."

"I don't know. I've always seen you having a different eye color, because I think silver doesn't suit you."

"Then what does?" He asked.

"This may sound weird, but, I've seen a dream. You were there, and your eyes...they were a rich violet."

_'What?'_ That's exactly what color Carrie said my eyes were, although she described them in a lot more detail. I continued to watch as Anastasia shifted closer to Aaron.

"If the soul never forgets, would ours be able to remember this moment, and find each other in return, even if we don't truly remember?"

"We would proclaim that we are not what we are right now, that's true, but," He moved even closer to her and connected his lips with hers. She looked at him wide-eyed before letting her eyes close and let herself get lost in the moment. They opened their eyes again when their lips parted and he just looked into her eyes. "Anna, I love you and I will forever find you."

"I..." She must of known he was waiting for a response, and, as the wind began to stir up petals in the air, she gave him her answer. "I love you too."

They kissed again as more petals began to gust around the garden. I got up from the bench, but the sun glared in my eyes at that exact moment, temporally blinding me. However, the light in my eyes brought on a sudden headache, and in a split second, it turned into an unbearable pain, making my fall to my knees and hold my head in my hands.

_'Again? Why now?'_ I closed my eyes, but then, I started to hear voices again, the ones that call out from far away memories.

_"We have to move, Aaron!"_

_"If you know what is right, then your words are like pure sunlight."_

_"Stay away from her!"_

_"Aaron!"_

I tried to push these voices from my mind when I heard a crackling sound. I was able to open my eyes for one second to see where the sound came from, but all I saw were the bright dancing flames of a fire, burning everything around me.

* * *

><p>I took in a sharp breath off air as I bolted upright in my bed, my eyes wide, my heart pounding in my chest, and beads of sweat trickling down my face. Looking around, I saw that I was still in my room, but now I was dressed in my pajamas. Oh, that's right. After me and Sasha had talked for a few minutes, I changed into my pajamas and went back to bed.<p>

I laid back down after I regained control of my breathing, relived that the fire that had surrounded me in that dream was no longer here, meaning it was nothing more than a dream. No, what am I saying? Dream or no dream, the conversation I had witnessed between those two was something else.

Could it possibly be a coincidence that Anastasia saw his eyes as violet in a dream? Speaking of which, even if her face had different features than that of Carrie, her hair and eyes were exactly the same. Is that merely a coincidence too or does her believes in reincarnation hold true?

_'Maybe I'll ask Carrie tomorrow.'_ I pondered. _'After all, she has some information about Anastasia.'_

That was a good idea, and she's wondering the same thing. So, at some point or another, maybe she's had a dream like the one I've just had too.

_'If she has, then that-' _My thoughts were interrupted my a light, but sharp pain in my chest. I winced at this and shifted under the covers of my bed, knowing it wouldn't help. It came again, and I as continued to move around restlessly, it all suddenly became very warm.

_'Maybe I should take this shirt off.'_ I propped myself up on my elbows and started to unbutton the pajama top. Then, just I as unbuttoned it past my chest, my eyes caught sight of something that made me unable to breathe for a split second.

There, as plain as day, was the incuse.

_'What?' _My mind was starting to go into a panic. _'How can this be? Nether me or Carrie saw the incuse before, so why?'_

It shouldn't be there, I don't want to. But, now, it's...

I closed my eyes, laying down once again, and, for the first time since Elliot's death, tears streamed down my face as I silently cried myself to sleep.

**Sigh, I felt sad after writing that last part. Feel free to reveiw, as always.**


	21. Out on the Plains

**Okay, I'm just saying right now that this might be my last update for a while because I'm having a bit of writers block. I will try to get the next chapter up tomorrow though, and if not, well, please be patient with me.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

Chapter 20: Out On The Plains

"Hey, Sasha." I yawned as I walked into the kitchen, my sister making breakfast.

She nodded and handed me a plate. "Here's some bacon and eggs."

"Thanks." I took it and sat down at the table.

"At least you've got time to get ready before you leave." She said, a mocking tone in her voice.

"Don't remind me." I said, cutting into the egg. I seriously wasn't looking forward to school, and after a weekend such as this too. "Hey, have you seen Leo today? He's usually up before me."

"No, I haven't."

"Oh." To not see him up by now was very strange indeed.

"Carrie," I turned my head up from munching on bacon to face her. "I...me and Leo talked last night."

The piece I was eating hung limply from my mouth until I realized it and put it on my plate. "Huh? I thought he would still be asleep."

"Not at all. He was sitting by the woodstove." Sasha then got a plate of food for herself and sat down across from me. We were both quiet for a moment before she spoke up again. "He told me that he didn't really trust himself anymore."

My eyes widened slightly. "Why would he say such a thing?"

"I think it's because of what happened yesterday."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Thinking back, I could see why. I mean, it wasn't entirely his fault, it was that fragment inside him. However, he seemed to think differently. But, still, this wasn't because of him.

"Ah, that's right." I was snapped out of my wondering when she spoke. "I did see him in his room earlier."

"Really? Let me guess, he was reading."

"No. He was just laying in bed." She answered. I stopped cutting up the egg and looked up at her. "I asked him if he wanted anything to eat, and he just had me bring him a piece of toast."

"Just toast?" I asked with concern. "Is he alright?"

"I guess so. I asked him the same thing, but he said he just felt really tiered and wanted to sleep."

"Okay then." I then glanced over at the clock, the time reading 7:35. "I have to get ready to go."

I got up from the table and rushed upstairs, going into my room and grabbing my book bag, then putting on my coat and combing my hair. After I finished and left my room, I stopped when I passed the door to Leo's room. I really had to leave, but I wanted to make sure he was really okay.

Slowly opening the door, I stepped inside and found Leo, sleeping just like Sasha said. I smiled lightly and approached him, letting out a sigh at the plate of half eaten toast on the nightstand. He lay on his side facing away from me with the covers limply laying on him, peacefully sleeping. I gently reached down and pulled the covers up over him, letting them lay at his neck.

"Sweet dreams." I whispered before I left the room, closing the door behind me. My pace picked up again as I continued on to the stairs.

"He still sleeping?" Sasha asked me as I walked down the stairs.

I nodded as I hopped down the last step and she handed me my lunch box. "I'll see you later."

"Carrie, wait!" I turned back to her just as I opened the door. "He also told me last night that he would protect you if needed. I think he's a pretty decent guy."

There were no words to describe that feeling of hearing that. "I, uh...I gotta get going!"

* * *

><p>"Carrie."<p>

Someone was calling me.

"Carrie."

_'Ah, they sound so annoying.'_ I thought to myself.

"Hey, Carrie!" Someone then took to shaking my shoulder, officially snapping me out of my daydreaming. I saw that it was Grace who had been calling my name.

"Oh, sorry about that."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her frown. "What's with you girl? You've been looking dazed and gloomy all day."

"Huh?" I offered a light smile. "Is that really noticeable?"

"Enough with that fake smile." She said, punching my arm lightly. "Let me guess. You and that boy, Leo, got in a fight."

"Eh? No nothing like that." I hopped that was enough to convince her. My mind was clouded with thoughts, like what Sasha said about Leo wanting to protect me, and...that kiss.

"You've got to tell me!" Nope, she wasn't buying it.

"You really want to know?" I said, becoming more irritated. "I'm dazed because we kissed yesterday!"

I quickly slapped my hand over my mouth, realizing what I had just said. I hadn't really meant to say it, but the words just slipped out of my mouth in an instant. I could feel my face heating up as her smile grew wider.

"You two...kissed...?" I nodded slowly and she let out a laugh. "That's great, Carrie! You're in love!"

"What?" I exclaimed, my face getting redder. What had happened back then, I was trying to snap him out of that unresponsive state. There was no way I could tell her that though. "N-no way! That's not t-true!"

"You can't deny a thing like that. He saved you, you saved him in return, plus he's been living with you. I saw you at the dance, and during that slow song, you looked totally happy. If you kissed him, you must be in love!"

"I, uh..." I had to admit, that day when it happened, my lips against his own, it felt like time had stopped. The feeling is hard to describe, but, it was like I was floating on air, and I felt so warm inside. It had been something more that just an effort to get him back, it was my proclamation of love, addressing my feelings.

_'It...is true. I want us to be more.' _

"I...guess I...I do like him." I nervously said. I then thought back to what Sasha had said to me this morning. Her words sounded as if she was aproving the concept of us being a couple, even though I never talked to her about that before.

"Then tell him how you feel."

"What?" This conversation was getting to be a little too much for me. "Okay, so I may like him, but what if he doesn't feel the same for me?"

"Carrie," Grace sighed and put a hand on my shoulder. "That guy, he seems perfect for you, and I'm sure he likes you too."

"Yeah." I closed my eyes, my mind drifting back to him. "I'll think about it."

It was true, I had taken a liking to Leo. Ever since we had met, deep down, I had felt something warm about him, making me feel at ease. It was a light feeling that made my heart beat faster every time. Maybe this was the truth, but if so, how was I supposed to tell him, and would he understand my feelings?

The silence between us lasted for what seemed like forever, but Grace soon broke it.

"Oh, I just remembered. You like that scripture stuff, right?"

"Of course." That was another interest of mine. Right now, I was even more interested in them because of a new development. Maverick, someone who works alongside me at Pandora, told me of a scripture that could possibly bring back my ancestor, who was also Leo's master and friend; Elliot Nightray. It could work, requiring my blood as a descendent, if this scripture actually exists.

"Well you know what I just found out?" She looked really excited about this. "There've been rumors going around that the plains that are in the back of your house used to hold a small library that stored scriptures, including one weird one for revival."

My eyes widened at the mention the very last word. _'A revival scripture? Could it possibly...?'_

"_Those_ plains?" I've been out there many times before, and I've never seen anything like that, not even ruins. "That's odd. I've never seen even ruins."

"Oh well, it is a rumor after all." I wasn't about to tell her that this could be the truth, but, I was thankful for her insight. If I could find where these supposed ruins are, then there's a good chance of finding the scripture along with it.

If I could find it, I could bring back Elliot.

* * *

><p>I threw my book bag into a chair when I got back from school, not thinking about anything else except what Grace had told me earlier today.<p>

_'If even the slightest possibility of those ruins existing, then there's the chance the scripture will be there too.'_

"Carrie, I'm off to work." Sasha's voice interrupted out of the silence.

"I thought you left this morning."

"Nah. I didn't have to go in till the afternoon."

I rolled my eyes, the answer being obvious. "Okay then. Hey, wait. Is Leo up yet?"

"He was earlier." She answered. "He came down to get something to drink and then went back upstairs."

"Good to know." I said, getting a glass out of the cupboard so I could get a drink for myself. I watched as Sasha grabbed her pocketbook, mumbled something I wasn't paying any attention to, and walked out of the house. Even though I had walked over to the fridge, my eyes had watched her the entire time. I stopped all movement when I saw her disappear out of sight, and I smiled.

"Alright, now's the time!" Ah, saying that again, it was deja vu for me. Memories of that day flashed across my mind as I rushed out the door and headed for the plains. Weird how a day that had started of with that led to me and Leo to meet each other. Everything felt like it was repeating itself, but this time it would be different.

Quickly making my way through the grove of trees, I soon came into the middle of the plain, looking out into a clear blue sky. I took one look around and sighed.

_'Just as I thought, no ruins.' _I concluded. I knew it, but I couldn't give up just yet.

I started walking around, looking for any sort of clue, but there was nothing here to give me any sense of direction in finding it. I let out a sigh and continued to look around.

I soon lost track of time and didn't know how long I'd been searching and going around in circles.

_'I should go back.'_ I thought as I continued to walk along. _'I mean, I don't even know how-'_

My words were cut off into a yelp as my feet tripped up on something. I let out an annoyed growl as I turned around to see what my feet had tripped on, and what I saw looked very similar to a manhole cover that you'd see in the city, but this one seemed larger and had symbols written across it.

"This is..." I ran my hand across it, wondering about these symbols. I wasn't able to understand it, at least until I suddenly felt a pulse of energy run through me.

Then I knew what this was.

"This is the entrance." I breathed, realizing it. "Underneath here is the library!"

_"What is it? Is there something here?"_

There it was again, that strange far away voice. Ah, forget it, there's no time to ponder this.

Taking a deep breath, I got a grip on the covering and lifted it. Underneath reveled a latter, and I knew this would lead me down into the library, to the scripture, and the key to bringing back Elliot.

**Let's hope she finds it. Like I said, I will try to have the next chapter up by tomorrow. I'll work as fast as I can. Until then, feel free to leave a reveiw.**


	22. Prayer for the Fallen

**This has been quite some day. Since my art class in the middle school, and it was downporing when I left...well, what do you think happens to me + rain? Explosion of happiness. So, I was running back to school with a big smile on my face. I felt so alive! Anyways, let's get on with the story. Whew! Got this chapter done. *Falls asleep***

**I do no own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

Chapter 21: Prayer for the Fallen

Carefully, I made my way down the latter, wary of my every step downwards.

_'This is it.'_ I thought happily to myself. _'This is the place where the scripture lies.'_

Finally, my feet found the last rung and I stopped when they touched the floor, which happened to be dirt. Light filtered in from where I had pushed open the lid up above ground, and unfortunately, I knew wherever I was going would be nothing but darkness. So, I took out a mini flashlight that I had left in the pocket of the sweatshirt I was wearing.

Turning it on, I turned to find myself faced with what looked like a tunnel, and as I shined the flashlight down it, I saw a door at the end, designed with the same symbols as the lid that had concealed the entrance.

I walked towards it and looked over each symbol, they're mysterious shapes and what they could possibly mean.

_"Put your hand to it."_ Raven's voice rang out from the silence. _"It will recognize your power's signature."_

It had been a few days since my Chain, Raven, had last spoken to me. I thought about it's words for a moment, then shrugged my shoulders.

"Whatever you say, Raven." I put my right hand to the door, just like Raven said, then, after a moment, I felt a slight stinging sensation in my hand, followed by a calm warmth. The symbols then lit up the door in a shade of violet. After the warm sensation in my hand died down I heard a click and removed my hand.

The door slowly creaked open a little, then I used the rest of my force to push it completely open.

The sight that awaited me through those doors was a large room, probably the same size as the one from the secret room in the library at Reveil, books, scrolls, and many others things scattered throughout. There was one window on the far end that was letting in a decent amount of light, meaning I didn't have to use my mini flashlight anymore.

"Whoa." I said to myself as I walked around the room. "I'm surprised no one's found this place."

It was truly a wonder no one had found this place, but now, as I looked around, I was starting to realize that finding the scripture would be harder than I thought. I mean, I didn't even know where to start.

"How am I supposed to find the scripture in this mess?" I wondered aloud as I rummaged through books and scrolls.

_"Didn't I say it before?"_ Raven suddenly interupted. _"Your power will help you find it."_

'Yeah, with a power that I don't even know what it is yet.'

_"Just try."_ The black winged Chain sounded annoyed with me, obviously hearing my thoughts. I might as well try. I mean, if it worked on the door, then it could work here. This was the perfect chance to test my power.

Closing my eyes, I willed myself to find the scripture, the name repeating itself over and over in my mind. There was nothing at first, but when I concentrated harder, I got the feeling that I was supposed to go ahead to the next row of artifacts.

I lifted my hand to run my hands along the various books and such on the shelf. The old leather covers of each book felt cold underneath my fingertips, other than the worn feeling of being underground for so long. Reaching the end of the row, my hand ran over a paper, and a pulse of energy went through me.

I stopped walking and looked over at the paper my hand had come to rest on. It read La Prière pour les Morts.

_'This is...the scripture!' _My heart began to race, finally finding what I had been searching for. I was about to pick it up, unable to await to see the incantation, the words of what could soon be done, but I saw something lying next to it.

It was a letter that said, 'Anastasia Mouchette and Aaron Chapman'.

That immediately caught my interest. Reluctantly, I set the scripture down and picked up the letter instead, reading it's contents.

This letter details a quick study of two children; Anastasia Mouchette and Aaron Chapman.

_Anastasia Mouchette, a child of a third rate noble house. Her closest friends seem to be Jack Vessalius, a girl named Alice, and Aaron Chapman. Although it was quite uncommon, she insisted on learning how to fight with a sword, and thus received lessons in sword fighting and fencing. Most of the time, she would venture around the Vessalius and Chapman houses. A encounter with this young maiden at a gala held by her parents led me to learn more about her. She says that she could speak fluently in German and was at that time well used to handling her sword. A personal detail was also revealed, as she had told me that she was developing feelings for her friend, Aaron. She also mentioned a dream where she saw that his eyes were a shade of violet. When she was 16, she was mysteriously killed during the Tragedy of Sablier._

_Aaron Chapman, a child also of a third rate noble house. His closest friend is Anastasia Mouchette. This boy was never allowed outside much because of his frail health, and used to stay secluded in his room, that was until he met Anastasia. She was known to visit often and snuck him out of his house so they could be together. Since then, his parents took a dislike to the girl and Aaron became more open, especially towards her. His parents commented that when he was sick with pneumonia once, this girl would come and visit every day, which he never seemed to mind. 'Those days, he seemed to be always looking for her.' They would say. When he was 16, he too was also mysteriously killed during the Tragedy of Sablier._

_Obviously, what I write here is after that day, and it has been a few days since then, and I feel like this needs to be recorded in case someone should stumble upon the mystery of the cause of their death. But these two people, there was something odd about them. To put it simply, it was like a strong connection; an irrespirable force. So, where ever their souls wander right now, I'm certain that they will meet again._

I glanced down to read the name at the bottom, but it was smudged and therefore illegible. Judging from the reading though, it must of been someone close to both families. Shrugging my shoulders, I folded up the letter and put it in my pocket. My eyes then fell back upon the scripture, still sealed.

This was the one thing I had came for, and this was the answer to what I seeked.

I grabbed it and was about to leave, but not before taking one last look at the room. Somewhere inside, I had the feeling that I would be coming back one day, just not today or anytime soon, but one day.

Making my way back to the latter and climbing up, there was one line from the letter that had stood out the most. The person who had wrote this had heard from the girl herself that she dreamed of seeing her friend Aaron's eyes as violet.

Could that be the reason why when I looked at his eyes in the dream there was something about them that reminded me of my friend, Leo? Could that just be a mere coincidence?

Reaching above ground now, I looked up at the sky, making me close my eyes for a second until they could adjust to the light. I sat in silence as I took in the quiet scenery of the plains around me before looking back down to the scripture in my hands.

Unsealing it, I opened it up, and it was indeed written in French. I was still able to read it though.

_Lorsque l'épée de lame, de l'argent métal mélangé avec la croix-rouge sang d'un avenir, l'un des mêmes liniage, appelle le nom, la demande est accordé à cette personne._

_Le souhait de la vie maintenant remplie._

That was all that was written at the top, and the words were simple; when the sword's blade, silver metal mixed with the red blood of a future, one of the same liniage, calls the name, the request is granted to that person. The wish of a life now fulfilled.

I glanced down at the three dots arranged in a triangle beneath the first text, then scanned down through the rest of it. It was simple, but the words must be spoken as if you were calling out to someone, and more importantly, it needs my blood to work.

I didn't really care, 'cause I'd do it. If this was the way to do it, then yes, I will do it.

* * *

><p>I glanced at the clock on the wall before I headed out the door.<p>

"Damn." I muttered. "I need to make this quick, so I can explain this better to Sasha when she gets back." Yeah, that was true.

On the bright side, I had seen Leo today. He was out on the balcony reading a book, his attention clearly to that. He maintained a conversation with me as he asked me about school, which I really didn't mind talking about. I almost told him what I was about to do, about my plan, but I said that I was just going to collect some leaves for a project. Thank goodness he believed me, although, I'm mad at myself for saying something like that to him.

My plan would need to be done in a hurry, but It would be worth it in the end. I couldn't necessarily be close to the house while performing this, but the grove of trees was perfect.

Walking into there, I chose the river as the ideal place, placing the two items in my hands off to the side and gathering three medium sized rocks, placing them in the pattern of a triangle near the bank of the river. What I had figured, just from looking at the scripture and the symbol on it, this also looked to be part of the process, so I'm just going along with it.

After placing the rocks like this, I opened the scripture once again, looking down at the words below the symbol. I sighed and grabbed the second item, kneeling in front of the triangle. See, when it said the silver metal mixed with red blood, it meant my blood had to be on the blade of a sword, and there was only one that I could get my hands on; Elliot's sword.

Taking it from its casing, I looked at my own reflection in the blade, then holding my hand out and making a cut across my palm with it. I let out a gasp at its sting, removing the blade from my hand and glancing at the blood, on both my hand and the blade. I winced at this, but ignored it, taking the sword and, by instinct, plunged it into the earth in front of the triangle.

I took the scripture with my unwounded hand and laid it next to me, my other hand on the handle of the sword. With a careful voice, I began to speak the words written on the parchment.

"À travers le stary nuit reflète il y a longtemps, je peux voir dans le passé, et maintenant, voici."

It wasn't really much, but the blood that dripped down my hand had made my hand now tingle, which was strange. Like I said, this was just the start of it, but I was hoping I wasn't just imagining the sensation in my hands.

"Perdu à travers l'obscurité, une demande l âme, je proclamer par le sang et un nom, une réponse de ma prière"

This time, where the blood was on the blade, it had started to glow a bright silver and was now seeping into the earth, sending faint lines of the same color into the triangle. My hand was now hurting, well, almost like it was burning. I tried my best to ignore the pain as I continued on.

"Suivez une mince thread, que vous seul pouvez suivre, conduisant vous hors de la sombre."

_"Who's there...?"_ A voice called, but this one wasn't like those faint familiar ones.

_'Wait!'_ I could still see the stream in front of me, but it felt like I was calling out to someone. I don't know why my thoughts were calling out to this voice, but they were just forming in my head automatically. _'Are you lost?'_

_"Don't know."_ The voice answered again. _"But...it's too much."_

"Grâce à mes larmes, venu dans le monde."

My hand felt like it was on fire, and I could see something glowing in the center of the triangle. I didn't know if I could handle it, but there was only and couple lines left, and it would be done.

"I can't...go on."

_'Just take my hand, quickly! I'll pull you out.' _I really couldn't take it anymore, but what if I stopped? Then, if I did...I could never bring Elliot back.

"Je te prie, de sorte que maintenant, venir."

I needed to finish what I had started. I had to do this for myself, for Elliot, and...for Leo.

"Que votre âme renaître et à pied cette terre à nouveau!"

_'Elliot!'_

The growing in the triangle became like a blinding flash, cutting off my vision for a long moment, my hand still burning. There was a gust of wind, and then, all fell silent. I was no longer blinded, but when it cleared, I could see white sparkles raining down. The searing pain in my hand had faded away, and as I looked up from the ground, trying to catch my breath, I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing.

There, in the center of the triangle, was Elliot.

For a moment, I felt like I couldn't move, my mind slowly realizing that I had done the impossible.

After I knew that I had done it, I let go of the sword, my hand still stained with blood. My eyes still locked on Elliot's still form, I quickly used the water of the stream to wash my hand and the sword, returning it to its case soon after.

Setting it aside, I went over to him. I knew we looked so much alike, but never like this. His hair was the same shade as mine, except shorter. Looking over his clothes, I could see that they were stained with blood, but as I soon found out, he was indeed alive, his chest gently rising and falling. He looked to be alright, which was good.

I sighed and sat back. "Wow. What a day, huh?"

I laughed, knowing he couldn't possibly hear me right now. Then I started to wonder how long I had been gone. Minutes most likely, but not even an hour. My wandering soon took me up into the trees looming over us, their branches like shadows in the sky.

My thoughts were soon interrupted when I heard a small groan coming from beside me. I looked over at Elliot to see his head moving slightly off to the side, his eyes wincing as he was regaining consciousness.

"Looks like you're coming too." I softly whispered.

* * *

><p>There was nothing. A black empty space, and there was nothing. The only sound was the dripping of water from somewhere nearby, but I couldn't see it, much less move. I had tried several times to move any part of me, but it was like I was paralyzed.<p>

_'What is this place?' _Apparently my mind was the only thing working. Well, my eyes were open, but all I could see was black.

I suppose it wouldn't be correct in saying I had just realized this. Actually, I had been in this place for a while now. I had no sense as to how much time had passed since I awoke here; minutes, hours, days? I don't know, there's no sense in even trying to guess.

I was aware of one thing though; pain. For as long as I had been here, it existed. It was sharp and didn't show signs of letting up, coursing through my body with every second that I had spent here. After a while, it became normal, even though it hurt like hell. At times, I would forget about it, but I would be reminded soon after. I wasn't even sure how I had...

Oh, that's right.

I remembered; the party for that kid, Oz. Everything had turned for the worst. There was blood, and a fire, and my brothers and sisters, even my mother, they were all dead. I...killed them. I faintly remembered stabbing my own hand with my sword, and then, I rejected that despicable Chain that had made me do those horrible things. The last thing I remember, was whispering something to Vincent, and then my eyes falling upon Leo. Then there was nothing.

Speaking of which, I wondered what my servant was doing right now, how he was right now. I knew he had been out of harms way, but I wished I could see him again.

But the events of that night, everything was over and done with, and I had atoned for the cruel things I've done. So now, there was nothing to worry about as time continued on. Well, I did still think about Leo. I couldn't help but wonder if he had, maybe possibly, forgotten...me.

_"...conduisant vous hors de la sombre." _A voice faintly said into the darkness.

"Who's there...?" I had to muster up all the energy I had left to say it, and it was a bit of a surprised that my voice still worked. I had no idea where this voice had come from, seeing as it was only me here.

_'Wait!'_ The voice called out again, a girl's voice. _'Are you lost?'_

Lost? Well, that was hard to say. "Don't know." My eyes closed again, the blackness still not changing, the same pain still inside me and I don't know how much more I could take. "But...it's too much."

If her voice came back, I could barely make out what she had just said, clearly speaking another language, possibly French.

"I can't...go on." Now I wasn't really sure what I was saying anymore, maybe it was the pain talking.

_'Just grab my hand, quickly!' _Her voice rang out. _'I'll pull you out.'_

I opened my eyes, and this time, I could see a faint white glow in the shape of a hand reaching out. Whoever this was, did they expect me to grab this hand? I couldn't even make any attempt to grab it. But what if this was a way out, what if...? No, it could be a trick, but then again, I don't think it was. Could this hand lead me out of here? Could it take me back to the real world? Could it...take me back to Leo?

_'Elliot!' _The voice was desperate, and right then and there, I made up my mind. Through some hidden strength, I found the energy to bolt upright and grasp the hand. Our touch glowed a blood red for a second, but then everything flashed to white, a intense wave of heat crashing down on me.

Then there was silence.

That heat faded and the pain I had felt was subsiding. For a moment, I thought that I was still trapped there, but then I realized that I was laying on leaves, and I could hear the flow of a stream nearby. The air around me was chilly, and I was wondering where exactly was I now.

I tried once again to move, and this time, my hand twitched; I could move again. A groan escaped my lips and I moved my head slightly to the side. I felt my face scrunch up as I moved my hand again and my eyes wearily opened.

The scene that greeted my blurry vision was that of what looked like a woods. There were trees above me and a blue sky through its branches. Something else then entered my vision, and as I focused in on them, their form became clear.

It was a girl, long beige hair and blue eyes. Wait, this girl has some resemblance to...me?

"E-Elliot?" She carefully asked. Her voice sounded just like the one I heard in the void. Was she the one calling out to me?

"Um, who...are you?" I managed to say. My whole body felt sore, but at least I was able to talk with this girl.

"I am Carrie Strata. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Elliot."

**Yeah, that's right...Elliot is back! XD How awesome am I? I decided way back while writing out the frist few chapters that I was going to do this.**

**If you're wondering, here's the translation for the scripture:**

**Though the starry night reflects a long time ago, I can see in the past, and now behold. Lost through the darkness, a request for a soul, I proclaim by blood and a name, an answer to my prayer. Follow a thin thread, that only you can follow, leading you out of the dark. Thanks to my tears, come into the world. I pray thee, so now come. Your soul revived, and to walk this earth again.**

**I used a translator to get the French words, 'cause the words just came to me while I was trying to write it. Next up, a reunion between Elliot and Leo. Feel free to reveiw and I'll try to have the next chapter up tomorrow.**


	23. Reunion

Chapter 22: Reunion

This girl, who had introduced herself as Carrie Strata, lead me inside a house painted in the pattern of two different colors. She remained quiet as she held the door open for me. Stepping insde, there were many odd looking items scattered about the interior.

"Up there." She said, pointing up to the top of a polished wood staircase.

"Leo's up there?" I asked her.

"Yes. He might be in his room or still out on the balcony."

After taking her small jacket off, she left me and went upstairs. I took this opportunity to look around. Some of the items were strange and forgien, all these werid devices of the modern day. It made my head spin just trying to look at all of them at once.

I head footsteps aproching and I looked back to the staircase to see Carrie coming back down.

"He's in his room, asleep by the looks of it."

She then lead me up the staircase, but my mind was still swirling about when I had first awoken and saw the girl that was now leading me to Leo.

_(Flashback)_

_"Carrie Strata...?" I manged to say._

_She nodded slowly, offering out a hand. I took it and she pulled me upwards into a sitting position. Her hair was exactly the same color as mine and her eyes were the same too. This girl, she seemed to be almost like a mirror, which was starting to annoy me._

_"Thank goodness. Welcome back, Elliot." She said, handing me my sword._

_Huh? How did she know my name? "Where am I? Why did you have my sword? And more importantly how do you know me?"_

_"The last two can wait." She turned her eyes downwards for a moment, then looked back up at me. "You may find this hard to believe, but I've managed to bring you back useing a revival scripture, and, at present, you are in the year 2011."_

_I was utterly taken back by what she had just said. "2011? That can't possibly be right!"_

_"I assure you, it is." She reasured me. "At least you're takeing this better than he did when he asked me the same question a few weeks ago."_

_"Wait, who are you talking about?"_

_She sighed and lightly smiled. "My friend, who is also your servant, Leo."_

_That one moment felt longer than the acutal length of it. "Leo? You know him? Is he alright?"_

_"Yes, Elliot." She answered in a calm voice, her identical icy eyes looking right at me and a light blush coming across her face. "He saved me from certain death one day, but I soon discovered he was hurt. After he was healed, I discovered that he wasn't from this time and I offered him to stay at my house. He's been living with me and my older sister ever since."_

_I couldn't believe it. I can still remember fragments of that night at the mansion and the last time I saw Leo, he was unconscious beside the stone bed where he was to be killed. After I was engulfed by that endless dark void, I had no idea what had happened to him. Now, this girl tells me that he's with her in this other year and what I really wanted was to find Leo and make sure he's alright._

_"Can you take me to him?" I asked carefuly._

_"Yes, I certanly can." She said getting up. "It would be my pleasure, Elliot."_

_(End flashback)_

"Here." She said in a more hushed voice as she stopped at a door and carefuly opened it.

I looked inside to see that the room was dimly lit, the curtains being closed and there was only one scorce of light. Up aginst one wall of the room was a bed, and lying there, sheets laid over him, was Leo.

"Leo." I breathed. He was asleep, just like Carrie had said, his glasses on the nightstand and a book next to him. I turned back to her to see her eyes to the floor.

"I'll, um, leave you here to talk to him. I'm sure that's what you want and I'm certain he'd be overjoyed to see you."

"Thank yo-" But she turned and walked away, back down the stairs and out of veiw. "Yeah, thanks." I said to myself in a more agrivated tone. I put that aside for now and walked into the room, closing the door behind me.

Silence soon fell upon the room, the only sound being a tiny squeek form the wooden floor as I walked over to Leo's bedside.

His pale face was shadowed by the dark shadows of the room, my mysterious servant who looked so peaceful laying there. Back before, and even now, I want to be here, by his side. I already owe this girl something for bringing me here, but I'm even more thankful that I can see Leo again.

"Leo." I said in a soft whisper. He muttered something in his sleep and turned over on his side, away from me.

I sighed and called his name again. "Leo."

This time, he stired and let out a small groan. "H-huh?" He slowly turned back around, rubbing his eyes. "Who's..."

His words trailed off and I knew that he saw me. I couldn't see the expresion on his face, but I knew he was stunned.

"Hey, Leo."

"Leo."

A heard a voice in the darkness, it sounded far away. Never the less, it sounded like it was calling me.

_'Who is it?'_ It was a very familar voice.

"Leo." The voice called again.

"H-huh?" This time my voice broke through and I could feel my head resting on something soft.

_'I must have fallen asleep again while reading. Stupid insomnia keeping me up at night.'_

I was laying on my side and I could sense that someone was behind me. I turned over to face them, rubbing my tired eyes as I did so. "Who's...

I thought that the person calling my name was Carrie, but when my vision focused, my heart practicly stopped when I saw him standing before me; Elliot.

"Hey, Leo."

I couldn't even find the words to speak. It was like all the air had been knocked from my lungs and my words became trapped in my throat.

_'This must be a dream...it has to be!' _I was afraid to speak, as if that if I did, he would vanish. The only thing I could hear was my own shallow beathing as I strugled to coprehend this. This had to be nothing more than a dream; an illusion created by my own hopeless desires to see him again.

Elliot was dead. I knew that and I saw him on that horrific night, lying on the floor in a pool of blood. But, still, deep down, a part of me was saying that this was no dream.

"What's with you?" His gentle, rough voice asked as he sat down on the bed. "You should be glad to see me."

This voice...it was _real_. Tears stung the corners of my eyes, threatening to spill. And I could see his ice blue eyes that I lov- no, treasured. All my doubt was now gone, warm tears sliding down my face.

This was really happening.

"Elliot!"

The tears that fell from my eyes cascaded down my face as I bolted upright and threw myself at Elliot, wrapping my arms around him. My sight became blured, but all that mattered was the person in front of me, my master and dear friend, Elliot.

"Elliot...Elliot. Oh God...ELLIOT!"

I felt strong arms slowly return the embrace, making me burry my head in Elliot's chest.

"Leo. Calm down, it's okay." I heard him say over the sobs that escaped my lips. "Why are you crying?"

"E-Elliot!" I exclaimed, my voice shaky. "This is real, r-right? Are you really here?"

I heard him sigh. "Of course I am." At that moment, I felt a hand lift my head up, and then push my bangs away from his face. Elliot's icy eyes were looking directly at me. "You're eyes are still the same beautiful violet that I remember."

I blinked, and with a trembling hand, I lifted it and put my hand to his chest, above his heart. I could feel its steady beat underneath my fingers.

_'This is real! Elliot is alive!'_

"Yeah, you are here." There were no other words to describe what I was feeling right now. "But, Elliot, I still don't get it? How?"

He laughed quietly, then smiled. "That girl, I believe her name is Carrie Strata. She said she brought me back by useing a revival scripture. I'll admit, she's quite the girl, but it's annoying how much she looks like me."

_'Carrie?'_ This was her doing, she made this possible. _'Oh, Carrie. I'll have to thank you later.'_

"Elliot?" I asked carefuly.

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry." I answered, tears starting to choke my voice again. "If I hadn't made you become an illegal contra- no. It's all my fault. I'm the one who caused all that, and It should of been me who had died and not yo-"

"Leo." He interupted. "You have nothing to apoligze about. I'm the one who should say it."

"Vincent told me...that your message to me was, 'I'm sorry, Leo'. But I don't understand why?"

"So he did tell you." He said. "That's good. Anyhow, I'm saying it here and now. I'm sorry."

"No, Elliot." I tried to argue. "It was me who-"

"Stop it." His voice had become more tense. "I should have noticed it from the start. It was my fault for not realizing it sooner. It had nothing to do with you. But I made things right, so now we have to move forward."

I was hearing his voice, seeing his eyes, feeling his warmth, and that...this was all real and not a dream, I was sure of that.

I was overcome with extrime joy, because now, after so long, he had finally returned. I didn't want this moment to end, only go on into forever. This is the only place in the world I wanted to be in right now.

Right here, with Elliot by my side again.

"Okay, I'll see you later." I hung up the phone after I finshed talking to Sasha and put it back on the counter. I sighed, leaning back aginst the countertop.

It had been a few minutes since I had left Elliot alone with Leo and I was wondering if he had woken up yet. I knew he would be surprised at first, but then it was certain that he would become filled with joy. What I had done, well, it felt good and I;m glad that I went through with it.

I looked up at the ceiling, then closing my eyes and walking back into the living room. I was about to sit down on the couch, but I heard footsteps aproching.

I turned and saw that it was Leo, standing at the base of the stairs. "Oh, Leo."

"Hey." His answer was quiet as he rubbed his eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." He came closer to me and lightly smiled. "It's just...thank you."

_'So Elliot told him after all.' _I thought.

"Well, I had noticed that you had been feeling down about Elliot and...I couldn't stand to see you upset anymore." I explained to him. Thinking back, I was the one feeling guilty this time, starting to think that I shoukdn't of kept him in the dark about the scripture. "I'm sorry I never told you about my plan. It's just that, um, I couldn't tell you before because-" I was now frusterated with myself, and I turned away from him, shutting my eyes tightly. "I should of told you, and I don't know why I didn't! I should have known you would have suported me and I-"

I felt a pair of arms wrap around me, much to my surprise. Since there was only one other person in the room, I knew it had to be Leo. His body felt warm pressed against mine, and, much to my surprise, I found myself caught between astonishment and enjoyment.

"Leo?"

"Hush. I just want to thank you." I could feel his head resting against the back of my neck. "To do something like this, it's, well...no words can really describe it. You brought Elliot back, and, I thank you so much for that. It's made me so happy!"

I had the sudden urge to try and pry his arms off me, but the moment I lifted my hands, I thought about his words, and I let my hands fall back to my sides.

"I-It's nothing." I nervously answered, feeling my face turning a slight pink. "This was something I decided of my own accord; of my own will. This was all for y-you."

"Thank you so much, Carrie."

How long we stood there afterowrds, I really don't know, but it felt...so right. Comforting, warm, forgiving, tender; all of these.

I heard a creaking from upstairs and I looked up to see Elliot leaning against the railing, looking down at us. Judging by the smile on this face, I could tell he was amused and happy at the same time.

_'This really is an amazing day.'_

"What do you mean you don't like seafood?" I exclaimed.

"I mean I don't like seafood." Elliot said to me. "For one, I've always hated fish."

"Then what about lobster?"

"I hate that too."

"Argh! You are too stubborn!" With that, I stormed off angrily back to the pantry to get out a box of pasta. I didn't really care what kind, so my hand automatically reached for a box of penne pasta. With this in my hand, I walked back to the kitchen and set the box on the counter when I got there.

"What's this?" Elliot asked, glancing at the box.

"It's called pasta, and that's what we're having for dinner." I answered.

"That? Looks kind of tiny."

"I haven't cooked it yet!"

"Elliot, please don't bother her." Leo suddenly spoke up. We both turned from each other to him. In the living room, Leo was sitting on the couch reading a book, his attention clearly to the book in his hands.

"Well, first of all, she suggests we have fish, which I hate, then she brings this box of what she calls pasta."

"On the contrary, I think that it's very kind that she's preparing dinner for us." Leo said, turning a page of the book. "You can at least be nice to her. She's actually very glad to have you here, seeing as you are her ancestor after all."

I froze, remembering that I forgot to tell him about that. Elliot turned back around to look at me, and I just walked over to the fridge, pretending to look for something.

"Carrie?"

I had no choice but to face him. "It might have slipped my mind to tell you that I'm your descendent."

"You could of said that earlier you know!" Elliot shouted at me.

And with that, we kept arguing for a few more minutes before I finally gave up. Meanwhile, Leo silently sat by reading his book. Feeling defeated, I walked into the living room and sat down next to him.

"Geez. Now I know how you feel."

"You get used to it." He turned another page, but then looked at me and smiled. "Though, this is just like old times."

"Yeah, I guess so, according to you anyway."

Suddenly I heard a jangling of keys, and I mentally slapped myself. _'Crap.'_

"Hey, Carrie, you down here?" I knew it was Sasha! "I bought some stuff for-"

Her words trailed off as me and Elliot turned our heads turned to face her. Leo kept on reading. My sister just looked at us, glancing at me and Leo, then at Elliot, then back to me.

"Carrie, who's this?" Both Sasha and Elliot asked in unison.

I took a deep breath before answering. "Sasha, this is Elliot, our ancestor. Elliot, this is Sasha, my elder sister."

"What did you do now, Carrie?" Sasha demanded.

"Hey, all I did was bring him back to life, okay? So what?" I exclaimed.

"When did you do that?"

"When you were at work. When else?"

"Okay, enough." She sighed and walked into the kitchen, looking at the box I had set on the counter. "You want this? But I thought that we were going to have fi-"

"Elliot hates fish, or any kind of seafood for that matter." I simply answered.

She blinked, then glanced at Elliot. "Whatever."

"I'll help you." I walked over to a cabinet and started looking for something, when Sasha came up behind me.

"Hey, I was going to mention this morning after I saw Leo, but I forgot." She whispered.

"About what, Sasha?"

"Since when did he have a tattoo on his chest? It looks odd."

"What? I don't know what you mean by-" No, I knew, and my breath caught in my throat when I realized it.

_'No. She doesn't mean...but what she's saying...' _My hands had started to shake now. _'No!'_

"No!" I couldn't take it, I couldn't bare to hear it. I didn't care if they were staring at me as I ran up the stairs and to my room. I slammed the door shut behind me and turned down the lights, sliding down against the wood.

Tears cascaded down my face as I continued to cry, knowing the hidden meaning behind Sasha's confused words.

_'It can't be! I haven't seen it on him, so why?'_ I didn't have the urge to sit on the floor anymore, so I turned on a song by Hammock and sat down on my bed instead. What I wanted to do right now is just be alone and listen to a song to soothe me. The song wasn't working though, only making me more upset.

_'The incuse. It's still there.'_ I had never seen it before, but now, I guess it was not visible to us, and now it was visible again. I have no idea how far around it is, but the outcome is inevitable.

'It can't end this way, it just can't!' I screamed inside my mind as I kept on crying, pressing my hands against my teary eyes. _'I haven't even told him that...that I...love him...!'_

_'Why is she crying?' _I asked myself.

She suddenly slipped a hand between us and rested it on my chest, above my heart. She continued to shake as she cried warm tears, and seeing her cry, and wondering why she had put her hand there, I knew why she was upset.

_'She knows about the incuse.'_

"Oh, Carrie." I felt my lips slightly brush against her ear as I whispered words to her. "I'm sorry. I don't know why or how, but, it's there now, and, I'm sorry for this."

That would explain why she's so upset. I don't know how she found out, but it was clear that it was making her this way. And, I don't like seeing her cry. With a sigh, I pulled away from her and tilted her head up with one hand.

Her eyes were full of tears, but she stopped her crying and looked at me as I held her head up in my hand.

"Le-" I cut her off as I kissed her, a blush exploding across her face. She seemed surprised as I looked at her with half closed eyes, but her body relaxed and her eyes closed. Her arms wrapped around my back as I closed my eyes too and we lost ourselfs in this one single moment.

After a moment of silence as we pulled away from eachother, and as I looked into her eyes which which still had tears on the edges of them, I could tell she was still in shock. I opened my mouth to say something, but I suddenly felt really tired, like all my strength was gone.

"Are you okay?" She quietly asked. I didn't answer her, feeling too tiered to be able to speak. Well, I hadn't really been able to sleep for a few days, being consumed by insomnia durring the night, which often resulted in falling asleep at random times durring the day.

Feeling sleep starting to decend on me, my head titled forward, touching Carrie's at the same time. "Hey, Leo. Look up at me."

I did as she said, and wearily, I glanced up to meet her blue eyes which were still glistening with traces of tears.

"I'm sorry...Carrie." I strugled to say, trying to keep my eyes open. "I've just been really-"

"Insomnia?" She inquired. "I've been noticing you seemed really tired these past few days."

"Uh, I guess." She smiled and gently put her hand on my shoulder, pushing me down. "Carrie?"

"Please try to get some sleep." She said, her voice a little quieter now.

"But, I don't know if I'll be able to."

She sighed, and before I knew it, she had laid down next to me. It was only then did I realize how tired she looked too, her eyes showing the same expresion.

"I haven't been sleeping well ether." She slipped her hand into mine, making my heart beat faster. "How about we fight it...togehter?"

She couldn't keep her eyes open any longer as they closed. Just looking at her peaceful form, it was like she had forgoten about the incuse imprinted on my skin. Speaking of that, it hadn't moved yet, but soon enough, it would, causing me extrime pain in the process. I remember that feeling still, the feeling of it's forward marks like they were being carved into my heart, burning me inside and it's pain gushing throughout me.

_All the nights we tried and tried,_

Even when she was crying, it was hurting me inside, and with this clock-like seal that had sealed my fate, it only made things harder. This wouldn't affect just me but everyone else; Sasha, Elliot, and Carrie. I think she realized this too because her eyes held an overwhelming sadness that didn't show on her face.

_To find the starlight in your eyes._

I didn't want to lose her, that person who had been with me ever since the day I first found myself in this world. Her pure and noble personality was something that had left a permanent mark on me, and everything she did, every word that flowed from her lips, the flash of her eyes in the sun, it all circled back.

_All the hours we cried and cried,_

This girl was a pure being that I never wanted to lose. Finally, as sleep took over me, her hand felt so warm in mine, and I was glad that we had one moment of peace that could last forever.

_'I love you...Carrie.'_

_You lost the starlight in your eyes._


	24. Sablier, 1711, Carrie

**I'm back, again. Sorry for not updating in a few days. School is giving me lots of homework, which leaves me with limited times for working on my stories. I would of posted this sooner, but I was out driving for an hour when I got home, and I just finshed doing algebra homework. Sigh, such a tough life. But here's the next chapter. **

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

Chapter 23: Sablier, 1711 (Carrie)

Preferably, the dreams I've been having at night were getting stranger and stranger, and I wish they would get back to normal. Looks like that wasn't happening anytime soon.

I found myself sitting on my knees in what appeared to be a hallway. It was semi dark here and for some reason, it seemed hazy and there was the smell of...smoke?

_'This whole place smells of smoke, but why?' _I wondered.

Getting on my feet, I blinked before starting to make my way down the hall. The smell of smoke still surrounded me, and as I walked along, it was starting to burn my eyes slightly. It was annoying me that my eyes were watering because of this, and I still wondered why.

Up ahead, I could see what looked like an opening into a large room _'Finally. Maybe now I can get a sense as to where I am.'_

I couldn't have been more wrong.

I picked up my pace and ran out into the room, onto a balcony. There was a flash of something bright and warm, and when I was able to see past it, a horrible sight greeted my eyes, and answering why I could smell smoke all around,

Yes, I was standing on a balcony, but all around me, everything was on fire.

_'W-what is this?'_ Curtains were burning, fire danced around, and the smoke thicker here. I slapped a hand over my mouth in an effort to keep from inhaling any more smoke. It was the only way to make sure I wouldn't suffocate under all this smoke, but it wasn't helping much.

"H-help!" I squinted my eyes and on the lower floor I was able to see a girl rush through a doorway, her eyes franticly darting around. Through all the fire and smoke, I was able to make out her appearance. She was wearing a dress, torn at the edges, or maybe burned. Her long hair was a mess, and I was able to catch one glance of her eyes; a light blue.

_'Anastasia?' _It was indeed her, standing there amidst the flames. _'What's she doing here?'_

I then remembered what I had heard about her from Maverick, that she had been mysteriously killed along with her friend Aaron when they were both 16 on the day of...

I'm in the middle of the Tragedy of Sablier.

_'That's the only logical explanation! But why?'_ She kept looking around before dashing off in another direction.

"No." I muttered. I can't let her out of my sight. If I'm really here, on this day that took place 300 years ago, and the deaths of those two people were a mystery, this was my chance to find out the exact circumstances.

Quickly moving down the stairs, I went in the direction were Anastasia had gone off. Running down the had that I had seen her go, the smoke wasn't necessarily getting thicker, but the smell of everything burning was still here.

I was able to follow her along the winding hallways, but my mind was still buzzing with questions_. 'Why is she here? Where is she going? Am I only following her to her death? Is she looking for Aaron?'_

Soon, I followed her into a courtyard and there, I saw her stop when she saw a boy with black hair kneeling on the ground.

"Aaron!" She ran over to him, putting a hand on his back and kneeling down beside him as well.

He coughed as I approached them, a hand to his chest as if he was trying to clear smoke from his lungs, which was probably accurate. "A-Anna." He managed between coughs. "What are you-"

"Oh God. I think you inhaled to much smoke!" She cried. "I don't know what's going on, but I've got to get you out of here! The Baskervilles are just going around and killing everyone and the whole castile is burning!"

His eyes seemed weary, but then they widened, as if he had seen something. "No! Anna, don't come here!"

He sounded like he was trying to warn her of something, but she wasn't paying attention. "Look, you can't stay here like this. Otherwise, your body will-"

"Anna, get away!" He pushed her away just as he scurried backwards, looking extremely alarmed. I turned by eyes in the direction he was looking at, and I saw a man in a dark cloak on the other side of the courtyard. His hair was dark and short, and his clothing was just as dark as well. When I saw the man's eyes though, I was struck by surprise when I saw a light purple.

"Glen Baskerville." I breathed.

"Glen-sama!" Anastasia exclaimed. "You're alright!"

"Why wouldn't I be, child?" He replied in his cold tone.

"No, Anna, he isn't what he seems!" Aaron shouted to her.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" she said, letting out a small chuckle and starting to walk past Aaron towards Glen.

"Glen-sama was the one who gave the command to kill everyone!"

Anastasia stopped dead in her tracks, looking back at Aaron with wide eyes, then back to Glen. "G-Glen-sama...?"

"Yes, child, he speaks the truth."

"What?" Her voice trembled, as if she was unable to believe it. "But...why?"

"There really is no reason for you to know, much less being able to understand." He answered her.

"But why was there any reason for such a thing? Surely there must be some reason!"

"I said you don't need to know!"

She took a step back when he shouted those words to her. Aaron, meanwhile, was still on the ground, probably still trying to breathe in clean air after being in that place. "Glen-sama, I-"

She fell silent when Glen turned away from them and started to walk away. "Where are you going, Glen-sama?"

He stopped and turned back around. "In order to obtain the Intention, Alice must be used."

"Alice?" She exclaimed in alarm. "What are you saying? Are you planning on using her for that ridiculous notion?"

"Young Anastasia, you didn't need to know this at all. The only reason I told you is because you insisted upon knowing, and your talents could help to obtain our goal. However, you keep denying."

"Glen-sama, if you intend to cause Alice any harm," The winds gusted then and her long hair was blown back by this gust. "I will protect her, and I will defend her from you. This is because she is my friend, and I will never forgive you if you hurt her."

"It's really a shame that you don't intend to use your talents. But since you are an obstacle at the moment, I have to dispose of you." I saw black feathers in the air. "Jabberwock, if you will?"

Anastasia looked up, letting out a yelp as she saw the Chain appear. Glen only was silent as it aimed one of it's sharp claws at her and swung it's arm at her.

_'This is...how she dies.'_ I realized.

"Anastasia!" Someone cried out, although it sounded more like a harsh scream.

In the blink of an eye, just as Jabberwock was about to strike her, I had been shocked to see Aaron jump in front of her, shielding her from the attack, but he had taken the blow instead. Surprisingly, he had been able to stay on his feet for a moment before he swayed and fell to the ground.

"Aaron!" Her cry was willed with shock, catching the black haired boy in her arms before he hit the ground, bringing her down with him.

Now I was able to see the damage it had done. There were three long slash marks across his chest, staining his clothes red. His eyes remained half open, but were hazy and cold, much like his face that was becoming pale. It made me shudder just looking at the broken boy lying in her arms.

"Hmm. Most regrettable." She looked up from him to Glen, the Chain now fading away. "Jack had told me once of you and how much you liked this boy. But, if you'll excuse me, I don't have time for these petty things. I have a more important matter at hand to attend to."

With that, he turned around and left. When he was gone, all I could hear was the crackling of flames in the distance around me, a haze of smoke still lingering.

I looked back at Anastasia, who seemed to be staring off into the distance were Glen had gone, that is until she was interrupted by a coughing sound.

"Aaron!" I walked closer to her and looked over her shoulder and down at Aaron. His eyes wearily gazed up at her, and blood trickled down from a corner of his mouth.

_'There's no way he can hang on for much longer.'_ I knew that was true. He had sustained to heavy of an injury, and given the fact that he was frail to begin with and he had inhaled a considerate amount of smoke, that made maters worse.

His life would soon be over.

"I'm...not going to get out of here...am I...Anna?" He croaked.

I caught a glance of her eyes, which were brimming with tears. "No, don't say that! Of course you'll..."

Her words trailed off, clearly not being able to throw out a lie like that in front of him, when she knew he wouldn't be okay. She knew he was going to die.

"Aaron...why?" She asked, her voice choked with sorrow.

He coughed up blood again, but managed a smile. "Isn't it obvious? It's because I love you. I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

His eyes slipped shut, which quickly concerned Anastasia. "Aaron, stay with me!"

Aaron's eyes cracked open, but they had lost their shine. "Anastasia, I love you and I will forever find you, don't you ever forget that. I'll wait for you."

His eyes closed again, and with a soft sigh, his last breath, his head titled and it was clear that he had ceased to breathe.

Aaron was gone.

"Aaron?" She got no response. "Aaron. No, don't do this to me! Wake up! Come on, please! Dear God, Aaron, please wake up! Wake up! Please!"

I felt a stab of pain for the girl as she desperately tried to wake him, but she only seemed to be lying to herself. It was like she couldn't admit that her best friend and lover was dead, laying lifeless in her arms.

"Aaron!"

* * *

><p>A shudder ran through me as I opened my eyes, relief soon replacing it when I saw Leo laying next to me, peacefully sleeping. He had said he hadn't been sleeping well lately, but he looked fine now, so maybe he was actually getting some actual sleep, not just passing out in the middle of the day because he was tired. Maybe he was having some pleasant dreams.<p>

Speaking of dreams, the one that had just ended had left me with a profound sense of sadness. Seeing him die in her arms, it was a very sad thing to see. But also, there was something else lingering around me as well; heat.

The heat of the burning fire around me, I could still feel it. And that smell, it was faint, but I couldn't forget about it. Everything that I had seen, it was burned into me, and it felt so real, like I was glancing back into a memory.

"Carrie."

I was snapped out of my wondering, Leo's voice bringing me back. "Oh, sorry. I didn't wake you, did I?"

"Not at all." I suddenly felt a hand on the side of my face, and warmth crept into my cheeks when I realized it was Leo's.

"You're not catching a cold, are you?" He asked. "You feel feverish."

"Ah, no, I'm fine." I then noticed there was a blanket lying over us. "Eh? A blanket?"

"Huh, what do you know?" Leo must of taken notice of it too. "I wonder when that got there."

"Who knows." I figured Sasha must of came in and seen us, which would explain how this blanket got here. "Anyways, I'm fine. It was just a dream."

"What kind of dream?" He asked, sudden interest lingering in his voice.

I went tense, now feeling regret in saying that. But not even I could draw conclusions from those dreams yet. "It was one that felt so real." I started to explain. "There was the smell of smoke, and everything was burning. I saw that girl again, Anastasia, with that boy, Aaron, in a courtyard. Then 'he' appeared. He was about to kill Anastasia, but Aaron jumped in front of her, and he was killed instead."

I buried my head in the sheets, Leo's hand no longer on me. "Carrie-"

"Leo, it all felt so real. What if...what if me and Anastasia are the same person? I can't explain it, so what are these dreams supposed to mean?"

I heard him sigh. "Carrie, don't worry about that much right now. I'm sure you'll find a reason, and I'll help you with that. I promise you."

I blinked and looked up from the sheets, but he had fallen silent once again, probably asleep again. My hand twitched, and that was the first time I had noticed that our hands were still locked together, a smile crossing my face as I looked at our intertwined hands.

_'Leo, I'm sorry for keeping you in the dark.'_ I thought as I closed my eyes again. _'I promise, tomorrow, I'll tell you everything; About what I know about Anastasia and Aaron, about me being the possible reincarnation, about my strange dreams, and...about my feelings for you._

**Another dream, but she's getting closer to the point and reason behind them. Feel free to review, as always. (I know I'm reptative when I say that.)**


	25. Love Connection

**First off, I'd like to apoligize for not updating sooner. I got struck with writters block, again! And this week was Homecoming, and I was super busy getting ready for that (I still don't know who won 1st place. Ether us or the Seniors.), aside from the homework I got caught up in. I'm so sorry about that, but I haven't forgotten, know that at least.**

**Also, just 'cause I want to say it, the truth behind Anastasia's death will be reveailed in the second to last chapter. But that will be soon, as there is only 6 chapters left in the story. The action picks up again in the next chapter, which will be in a few days. Hope you like this chapter, it took me so long to write!**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

Chapter 24: Love Connection

Morning had come swiftly, driving away the night. As I slowly awoke, my limbs felt stiff, and my hand was still attached to Leo's. He was right next to me anyway, soundly sleeping.

_'Looks like his insomnia has worn off.'_ I softly laughed with content, knowing he was getting some quality sleep. I looked back at our hands, and for one moment, I wish I could just remain here forever, but sadly, I can't.

"Sorry." I whispered, removing my hand from its interlocked state. I yawned as I sat up, stretching my arms in the air. Getting out of bed, I walked over to the window and poked my head through the curtains. The sun stung my eyes, but I winced through it, able to see out onto the fogy yard and the grass, shining seeing how it had frosted over last night.

I drew my head back and quickly shut the curtains again so the approaching light wouldn't wake Leo from his peaceful slumber. Going to my closet, I took out some clothes and walked to the bathroom to change.

After I was finished, I was walking back to my room to get my book bag, seeing as how I have school today, when I caught a glance of Sasha downstairs.

"Hey, Sasha." I called.

She looked up at me instantly. "It's rare to see you up this early."

"Huh? What time is it?"

"A few minutes after 6:00."

"Oh, really. Actually, I could say the same to you." I guess I was kind of teasing her on the last part.

"They're making me go into work early." She said, grabbing her purse. "Make sure you get ready for school. It is a 10 minute bike ride after all."

"Alright, I got it." She was about to walk out, until I remembered something. "Oh, Sasha!"

"What?" She asked as she turned back to me.

"That blanket I found over us, I know it was you. Thanks!" I replied cheerfully.

"Carrie, what are you talking about? That wasn't me."

_'Huh?'_ It took me a second to register what she had just said. I thought for sure that it had been her who had put the blanket over me and Leo.

"It wasn't you?" I asked again, needing to confirm it.

"No. Now, I need to get going."

I watched her as she left, the door closing behind her. _'It wasn't her? But, if it wasn't her, then who could have possibly-'_

I was struck with the realization, a smile forming across my face. If it hadn't been her, then there was only one person who could have done it, having been the only other one around at the time; Elliot.

A caught a glance downstairs at the clock, only 5 minutes after 6:00. I had time, and it seemed like wanting to see Elliot right now would be a good thing to do, confirming my assumption with him.

I walked over to the room that I had presumed he was in, which was Leo's.

Sure enough, when I opened the door, I could see that Elliot was lying down on the bed. I giggled and stepped inside, observing him as he slept.

"Elliot." I whispered. He looked so peaceful, so silent, so...still. Actually, it was a bit too still. "Elliot?"

I had said it a bit louder, but still, there was no response. Suddenly, multiple what ifs invaded my mind, one repeating itself over and over. _'What if...the scripture only worked for a limited amount of time?'_

No, that couldn't be! That can't be true! Not wanting to wait a second longer, I rushed over to his bedside and took to shaking him. He didn't respond to that ether.

I thought for a second that my assumption was true, but then a hand clamped onto mine and I was pushed away, the hand letting go as I fell to the floor.

"What the hell are you doing?" I looked up to see Elliot sitting up on the bed, glaring at me and clearly angry at me too.

"Elliot." I exclaimed "Um, you were sleeping?"

"What does it look like?" He replied. "I was, at least until you woke me up."

"Oh, sorry." I said as I stood back up. "It's just that you looked so peaceful and still there. I guess some crazy thoughts were going through my head. And speaking of peaceful, I'd like to thank you for putting that blanket over us while we slept."

I guess I hit a weak point, because a blush spread across his face "W-what? I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Aw, come on, Elliot." I insisted. "I know it was you. Thanks for that."

"Whatever." Aparently, he then decided to change the subject. "Actually, this is the first night I've gotten some actual sleep."

"Huh?"

He sighed at me like I had asked a stupid question or something. "Before all this, way back before that terrible night, I used to have dreams, well, nightmares actually." He started to explain, his voice lacking the anger he had directed at me just a few moments ago. "A dream where everything was burning, every one of my siblings lying dead around me, my sword stained with their blood; it was so horrible that I wouldn't be able to sleep at all."

I didn't have any words to offer as a response. A dream like that, I can understand why he wouldn't of been able to sleep because of it. Such a realistic and haunting dream, coupled with the fact that this happened much later...he must have a strong sixth sense.

"I guess I understand now." My eyes were now looking down at the floor. "Leo has told me a few things about what happened that night, but I could never imagine seeing all that horror through your eyes."

He looked at me, as if my words had made him remember something. Maybe I shouldn't of said that, due to the fact I might have brought up some bad memories.

After a minute, Elliot decided to speak again.

"Do you know? Has he ever told you what my last message to him was?"

"No, not at all." I answered. "I've heard about your death from what I've read in the records, but never anything about a last message. Not even Leo has told me such a thing."

I watched as he drew in a breath of air, then looking right into my eyes. "You see, that night, the night I died, earlier, me and Leo had gotten in a huge fight. Afterwards, when I had calmed down, I felt like I needed to apologize to him, make everything alright. Chaos erupted though, and I forgot about it in the commotion."

"Yeah, I know about that chaos that you talk about. I also know you saved Leo, so that's some solace."

"It's not any solace." He interrupted. "I might have saved him, but I killed my own mother! Then I found out the truth about everything, and you call that solace?"

"Elliot-"

"I'm sure you know what happened then, but when I was nearing death, I realized that I had forgotten why I had wanted to find Leo in the first place." His voice had been tense again before, but it was easing off now. "I wanted to tell Leo my final message. It was, 'I'm sorry, Leo.'"

I blinked, feeling an overwhelming pity for both Elliot and Leo. I mean, that awful night had stolen away Elliot from Leo. As for Elliot, he had to see that horror and witness it himself, and the agony he must of felt when he was approaching death, it must have been sad and painful. To me, even though I knew what had happened that night based on findings and what Leo has told me, just hearing Elliot's thoughts about it, that was indeed awful.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up. I shouldn't have said that." I apologized. " I can see why Leo was crying after he woke up from that nightmare. I'm sure I would too if I kept dreaming about something like that."

"That's a rare sight. What could he has possibly dreamed about that would make him cry?"

"He said he dreamed of your death." I kept my voice hushed and careful of my words. "He said that it was because of him."

Elliot was silent for a second before muttering under his breath "Geez, Leo."

"I can still remember that rainy night though; how I had found him outside and how he cried in my arms, as if afraid to let me go." Many thoughts and memories were now pouring into me, reminding me of all the moments spent with each other. "And, I don't know if this is right to say since I haven't known you for too long, but, whenever Leo is with me, I feel...safe. Honestly, I don't know what to think about that, because I feel strange emotions around him. But I do know that if anything hurts him or makes him sad, I will protect him from that, because I want him to be happy. I want to brighten his life and make him happy."

I straightened up and blushed, realizing that I had just told Elliot my feelings for Leo. I had planned on telling him this afternoon, and yet here I am spilling out my feelings to Elliot instead.

"Then, I guess, I can at least say this to you." Elliot got off the bed and walked over to me, then placing a hand on my head and ruffling my hair. "I approve of your feelings towards Leo."

I was stunned, not by the sudden touch on my head, but by the fact that yet another person had approved the idea of me and Leo being together, and it was Elliot, of all people!

"I, uh-"

"It's okay." He said as he took his hand off my head. "Take your time, but just tell him and keep your word."

I couldn't help but smile let my eyes close halfway. "Yes. I'll definitely do that." My eyes then caught sight of the grandfather clock that was in the room.

_'Quarter to 7:00?' _I muttered something to myself, making Elliot look at me with a confused look. I must have been talking with him for so long, I lost track of time.

"What's with you?" He asked.

"It's quarter to 7:00 and I have to hurry and get my things together 'cause I have to be at school early today." I quickly went back to the door, but I turned back to Elliot one last time. "I'll see you later, Elliot!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Dream)<strong>_

_**'Run! Run! Run!' It was the only instinct in my mind.**_

_**I was running, off to somewhere, but I wasn't sure where. What I was sure of though is that my legs hurt, I was out of breath, and my heart was racing inside me. The woods surrounded me, but something was wrong, and it had to do with me, I just know it.**_

_**I could feel it, something was happening inside me, sending an uneasy feeling throughout me, pulsing through my veins. It was becoming painful with every second.**_

_**Soon, the woods gave way to a large open space, a pond here and a house in the distance. I was able to go as far as the bank of the pond before I succumbed to the pain building inside me and collapsed.**_

_**My whole body shook as I lay on the ground, unable to contain the pained whimpers that escaped my lips. I rolled over on my side and I was greeted by the horrible taste of something warm as I coughed up blood.**_

_**'What is...what's happening to me?'**_

_**"Leo...?" My eyes widened at that voice, her voice.**_

_**I was unable to move, but I managed to speak her name. "Carr..ie?"**_

_**A pair of arms picked me up and I felt another warm body pressed against mine. My eyes then found the face of that girl, the one that I...loved. She was dressed in a white laced dress, her light blue eyes were looking down at me, and the scent of lavender surrounded her.**_

_**"What's wrong?" Her calm voice whispered.**_

_**"I don't know." I tried to say something else, but I was interrupted when I was overcome with a coughing fit. Carrie just continued to hold me as I tried to get some air. After my coughing had subsided, I was able to speak again. "Carrie, help me, please! Something's...wrong with me!"**_

_**Her eyes remained fixed on me, but then she lightly smiled, pulling me closer to her. "It's okay, Leo. I'm here."**_

_**My breathing was labored, but I was able to put my trembling arms around her. "Carrie. If I...if something hurts me, or if I'm overcome with this mysterious affliction again, won't you...won't you please come for me?"**_

_**"Yes." She softly whispered.**_

_**"Will you hold me in your arms, just like this?"**_

_**"Yes."**_

_**"Will you...kiss me and make everything better?"**_

_**Her voice was silent this time for a second, but she answered me. "Yes, Leo. I will come save you."**_

_**"Carrie." Tears brimmed my eyes that accompanied the painful thudding of my heart against my chest.**_

_**...And my voice kept whispering her name over and over again.**_

_**(End dream)**_

"Leo, wake up!"

My eyes flung open and I took in a sharp breath of air, my face coated in sweat and my breathing rapid. Someone was holding onto my shoulders, and it took a second before I realized it was Elliot.

"Calm down." He hissed at me. I was trying my best to calm down, closing my eyes and taking deep breaths.

_'Calm down, Leo.'_ I said to myself. _'You're alright, that dream is over. Rememeber, Elliot's here.'_

Finally, I was able to regain control of my breathing and my body relaxed. Elliot sighed and let go of my shoulders.

"Are you okay, Leo?" He asked. "You were having a nightmare and whispering Carrie's name as if you were in pain and you were calling out for her."

"Y-yeah." I answered, unsure of myself. "I'm fine."

"You don't look like it." He insisted, sitting down on the bed. "I guess that's to be expected though."

I nodded and laid back down, looking up at the ceiling. "It was only a dream after all. But why would I be saying Carrie's name?"

"Who knows?" I closed my eyes again, but the silence that was in the room was soon broken when Elliot spoke again. "Speaking of Carrie, she's quite an interesting person. What is she like?"

I didn't know what to say in response to his sudden question. "Um..."

"Leo, to you, what is she like? How do you feel about her?"

That was a very sudden question indeed. Yes, I did have feelings for Carrie, feelings that I've never felt before. But I wasn't really sure how to explain it, much less understand.

I loved her, but I didn't understand these feelings that flooded my heart.

"Elliot, why are you asking such a question?"

"I just want to know. What's wrong with that?"

I hate to admit it, but he did have a point. There was nothing wrong with asking that.

"Carrie...she is..." For some reason, she was having a hard time forming the words needed to speak. "She is...a brilliant light; a glowing candle. The day we met, I might have saved her life, but I might be dead if she hadn't saved me. That day, I was covered with injuries and I became sick afterwards. If it wasn't for her I might not be here. Even so, through all the secrets she's learned about herself, she continued to smile. Her laugh is joyful, her crying hurts, and all the bits and pieces of her all make up the reason." I looked up at Elliot, looking at him straight in the eyes. "Elliot, I love her."

Silence once again enveloped the room, and I was now wondering if it really had been a good idea to tell Elliot after all.

"Well, I guess there's no helping it." He ran a hand through his hair. "If you love her, then tell her."

"But, Elliot, what if she doesn't feel the same way?" I did fear this, which was why I haven't told her yet. "What if-"

The next thing I knew, Elliot whacked me upside the head. "Why are you asking that? You don't know until you tell her. So, as my servant, and my best friend, I order you to take a chance and tell her how you feel!"

Those words, and being spoken by Elliot at that, this was his way of approval. "Thank you, Elliot."

"Good." He stood up, brushing off his clothes. "You should probably find some clothes to change into. You've been wearing those since yesterday."

"Ah. Good idea." My smile turned devious as he started to walk to the door. "Is that what you're trying to do? Find some clothes?"

"Shut up." He hissed.

"Also, thanks for the blanket."

He turned sharply back to me. "Huh? How do you-"

"You woke me when you did that." I answered, still smiling.

He muttered something under his breath, but then put on a smile. "You're an idiot sometimes, you know that?"

I chuckled as he walked out of the room. _'Thanks, Elliot.'_

* * *

><p>"Anyone here?" I called as I walked inside.<p>

"What do you think?" Elliot replied, sitting on the couch and reading a book.

"Of course." I muttered, throwing my coat aside. "Have you seen Leo? I need to talk to him."

Elliot looked up at me, knowing what I meant. "Upstairs in his room, apparently trying to compose his own music."

"Okay, thanks, Elliot."

Walking upstairs, I knew that this was it; finally, I would be telling Leo my feelings. However, first, I had something else to talk about with him. The things about Anastasia and Aaron, the dreams, and me possibly being the same as her.

I knocked on the door, which was the greeted with, "Yes?"

I opened the door and walked inside, seeing that Leo was lying on his bed, looking at a paper with notes written on it. I let out a quiet chuckle and went to sit next to him.

"Hey, can we talk?"

"Sure." He answered, writing down another note on the paper.

I took in a deep breath and began. "Do you remember last night, about that dream I told you about?"

"Yes. You said that it felt so real."

"Yeah, and the reason being...I think I'm the reincarnation of Anastasia Mouchette."

That caught his attention and he looked up from the paper and to me, sitting up. "Why would you say that?"

"In those dreams, we look so much alike. There, I see her, and another, a boy named Aaron." He seemed to stiffen, then stare off into empty space. I could even hear his own breathing in the silence. "Leo? Hey, Leo."

"Oh, sorry." He apologized.

"It's alright." I cleared my throat and continued. "You see, Anastasia and Aaron were both children of third rate noble houses. Anastasia's best friend was Aaron, who was a very sickly boy, never going outside much due to his fragile health. Over time, they fell in love with each other, and, as I told you last night, I saw how he died. It kind of sad, you know?"

"I suppose it would be quite unfortunate." He said, turning his attention back to the music sheet.

Okay, that was out of the way. But, we'd be talking about it later probably. Now came the part I was really nervous about. If there was any time to do this, it would have to be now. It had been approved by two people, and now was the time to take a leap of faith.

"Have you, um, ever had a girlfriend before?" Okay, so that was the only question I could think of to start with.

His gaze lifted from the paper. "Carrie-

"Just answer my question already." I said, even though I might have been blushing a little. There wasn't any harm to it, I just wanted to know.

"But, I-"

"It's not that big of a deal, you know?"

"Fine. I haven't had a girlfriend. Satisfied now?" He suddenly said to me in an aggravated tone. He put the paper down and laid back down on the bed. "Carrie, you have to understand, because of the things that happened, being an outcast in my own village, being confined to the House of Fianna, becoming a servant; I never found someone like that."

"I see." My eyes drifted off to one side, now regretting I had asked that question. "Then, why did you kiss me?"

He hesitated for a moment, a lone silence developing between us. I mentally slapped myself, asking yet another question, and a stupid one at that. "You were crying and...I don't like to see you cry. It hurts me inside."

"It hurts you to see me cry, huh?" I sighed and then remembered, I had done the same thing at a moments notice back then, back when I shared my first kiss with him. "You should know, back when you, well, went mad sort to say, the only reason I got you out of that state was because I...kissed you."

He sat up suddenly and looked at me. "You what?"

"I kissed you."

He opened his mouth to speak, but he had no words to add onto it, not at first. "B-but, Carrie. I don't- why would you-"

"Because it's everything about you that I like." I answered, exposing my feelings. "I like how messy your hair is, I like your love of books and your skills at the piano, I like your deep violet eyes, and...I like how we understand each other." I shifted closer to him, still pouring the feelings in my heart out. "Ever since I met you, I've had the strangest feeling I can't explain, and, to put it simply, you make me feel safe. I think it's because of my feelings towards you."

"Carrie, what are you saying?" His voice was becoming more shaky, like he was nervous or something.

"Leo," I took his hand and put it in my own. "I love you."

He didn't say anything back, just stared at me, but then, he swayed and he fell into me. I was surprised, due to the fact that he could of just fainted.

"Leo, are you alright?"

He stirred and answered my question. "Yes. That was just...quite a shock. But you really mean it?"

"Of course I do."

"Then, I...I love you too."

Those words struck me like a bullet and I found my breath stuck in my throat. "Y-you do...?"

"Yes, Carrie." He answered. "You saved me that day, but I could never explain these feelings deep inside me. I like everything about you, your whole person, your whole personality, everything. We still search for answers that lie hidden in the past, and I would like to help you with that. If this, proclaiming my love for you, is the least I can do, let it be so. You keep on smiling and you've taken me as I am and listened to everything, understanding those things. Because of all this, I know and I'm certain that I love you."

I felt so overcome with emotion, that, well...I can't describe it. "Then I can also offer one thing."

"What would that be?"

"My thanks, for accepting my feelings for you." I smiled brightly. "Leo, I love you so much."

"So do I, Carrie."

The next second, our lips touched and that moment felt so warm and so right, I wanted it to last forever.

He loved me and that was that.

* * *

><p>I had just finished another chapter of the book I was reading, when I heard a door open upstairs. Turning around and looking up, I saw Carrie and Leo. Both of them were smiling as they made their way towards the staircase.<p>

"Hey, Elliot." Carrie said cheerfully as she walked down the stairs with Leo.

"Hey." I replied marking my place in the book and standing up to face them. "What are you two up to?"

"We're just going to play the piano." Leo answered. "Do you wish to join us?"

"Sure." As we walked to the piano room, it was then that I noticed that Carrie and Leo were holding hands, interlocked with each other. "Does this mean that you two are officially boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"Yes, Elliot. It does." He answered again.

I couldn't help but smile, knowing things had gone perfectly. _'I'm so happy for you, Leo.'_

**Alright, it's about time actually. Oh, and a note about the dream, that will become an important part of the next few chapters, so be on the lookout for that. As always feel free to leave a reveiw. **

**Now, it's nearly 10:00 PM over here, so I must go to bed. See you later! *Falls asleep.***


	26. White Noise

**Wow. I'm a bit surprised that I got this chapter done sooner than expected. Listening to music really gets me in a writting spirit though, and is very helpful to me when I'm trying to think of any ideas. Yeah, that's all I can think of to say right now.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

Chapter 25: White Noise

Since then, things were rather enjoyable.

Four days had passed since me and Carrie had officially started our relationship, and, although we didn't act like it much, we were boyfriend and girlfriend. We never kissed much, but we did hold each others hands from time to time. Carrie's friends found out right away, and she didn't deny it at all, but her friends kept thinking she was, at least until they saw us in town once, holding hands and sharing a kiss.

Back at home, things were pretty normal (Well, for me at least). I usually sat alone, reading, unless Carrie decided to join me, but she respected my wish to be alone. Other times, me and Elliot would play the piano, and Carrie was getting better at that also. Me and Elliot retained our mutual friendship, as I am still his servant. We still argued, and I would still correct him of any mistake, it is the job of a servant after all.

I remember one day, me and Carrie had bought some new clothes for Elliot from a store that she took me to once. At first, he kept complaining about them, but I think he likes his new clothes. He's just too stubborn to admit it. Me and Elliot had to share a room now, but he didn't seem to mind. Carrie had set up another bed in there with help from Sasha anyway.

Yesterday, Pandora had sent us off on another assignment, which went well I might add. We brought Elliot along too, although we gave him a different name to go by, which he complained about (it was to be expected). Carrie told me that only Maverick knew, so at least no one else would catch on.

Everything was so peaceful, and, just for that short time, I thought all our troubles were over.

I was unable to see what was coming next though.

* * *

><p>"Okay, we need something to do today." I said to my two friends (well, one of them being my boyfriend), who were at the table eating breakfast with me. Sasha had gone off to a friends place in one of the neighboring cites for the weekend, which left us here.<p>

"Well, what do you suggest?" Elliot spoke up.

"I'm sure she'll think of something, Elliot." Leo said, turning the page of a book, Cleary finished with his food. "Just give her time to think of it first."

I couldn't help but giggle in response. Oh, how I loved Leo. Ever since four days ago, a fraction of me had still been unable to believe that we were now together as something more. But this wasn't anything like a dream, because everything that was happening was real.

"Exactly, Leo. I'll think of something." I proclaimed, still trying to formulate ideas in my head. "Well, I need to get the box of Halloween decorations in today. Wanna help?"

"What?" Obviously Elliot wasn't liking this idea.

"Come on, it's just decorations." I insisted.

"And what is Halloween exactly?"

Face palm. Of course he wouldn't know. "Well, that's officially off my list of ideas."

"I could help you with that, Carrie." Leo said.

"What kind of day is named Halloween anyway?" This resulted in Leo hitting Elliot with his book. "What was that for, Leo?"

"Obviously, Halloween is some kind of holiday her culture celebrates in this time." Classic Leo. Was it even a wonder why I liked him so much? He then directed his words back at me. "I'll help you get that box, Carrie."

"Thanks." I picked up my dishes and went over to the sink to wash them. "Well, Halloween isn't really a holiday, technically speaking. But the when the night comes, everyone dresses up in costumes. Last year, I was a pirate and me and my friends went to a costume party." **(A.N.: I did dress up as a pirate for something at school last year. Everyone kept calling me Jack Sparrow!)**

"Sounds like...fun."

I turned from the sink, noticing his voice had hesitated and sounded strained on the last word. When I looked at Leo, the book he was reading was now on the table and he was holding his head in his hands.

"Leo?" I asked, walking over to him.

"Hey, Leo." Elliot spoke up. "What's with you?"

"Ngh...nothing." He managed. "I'm fine. My head just hurts a little."

"Are you sure?"

"...I'm..." He winced in pain, then he just collapsed altogether, falling out of his chair and onto the floor.

"Leo!" Me and Elliot exclaimed in unison, rushing to his side. Leo lay on the ground, curled up into a ball and clutching his head. I didn't have any idea what was going on, but I could tell that he must be in some serious pain.

"Leo, what's wrong?" I asked anxiously. He didn't answer me, only letting pained whimpers slide past his lips.

"Is he okay?" Elliot asked me.

"I honestly have no idea." I answered, lifting him off the floor with my arms. "But he can't just lay on the floor. Help me get him to your room, okay?"

He nodded, helping me lift up Leo. The both of us carefully carried him up to his room, and all the while, I was constantly looking back at Leo. His face was scrunched up in pain and his cheeks were flushed.

Once back we were back in his room, me and Elliot directed Leo over to his bed and laid him down. Elliot pulled the sheets over him while I bent down next to him and brushed hair away from his face (well not the messy strands around his glasses).

"Leo, are you okay?" I asked again.

"N-no." He managed to say, his voice strained. "My head feels like its about to explode!"

"Oh, Leo." I muttered brushing his hair with my hand. "I'll bring up some water and some aspirin to help ease your pain later. Just try and sleep for now, okay?"

"Okay." Before I got up, I leaned in towards him and kissed him lightly on the forehead.

"I love you." I whispered before me and Elliot walked out.

* * *

><p>"I have no clue as to what's wrong with him." Carrie sighed as she sat down on the couch. "All I can think of is that he has a very extreme headache or something."<p>

"Look, I don't know ether." I said, sitting down also.

"I've had some pretty bad headaches before, but never that extreme."

I leaned back against the couch, closing my eyes in frustration. Up until the point when Leo had collapsed at the table, he looked perfectly fine. But now, the last time I caught a glance at his face, there were clear signs of pain written across it, and his body had responded by constantly trembling as I had pulled the covers of his bed over him.

I was just as clueless as Carrie on this one.

"Do you think we should take him to a doctor?" I suggested.

She shook her head. "No. Not yet at least. Unless it becomes so bad-"

"He said his head felt like it was going to explode."

She glared at me, knowing that I interrupted her. "To the point. Unless it becomes so bad that anything I give him doesn't help ease his pain, then we'll take him to a doctor."

"Carrie," I said, opening my eyes and looking over at her. "I know you're worried about Leo, and so am I, but we need to think of something."

"I know, Elliot. But, Let give him a few minutes of rest first. Maybe that will help."

I wasn't entirely sure with her idea, which made me roll my eyes at her. _'I hope you're right.'_

Carrie walked into the kitchen, but when I saw her look out the window over the sink, she froze and leaned in towards the window.

Confused, I stood up. "What's wrong?" I asked. "You see something?"

She pulled away from the window and when I saw her eyes, they looked darker and the pupils of her eyes were just a bit narrower.

"Ready your sword." She ordered, walking past me to go look out another window, then shutting the blinds.

"Carrie, what's out there?"

"The Baskervilles."

* * *

><p>Sweat covered my face as I continuously tossed and turned underneath the covers of my bed, unable to sleep due to the intensely painful pounding in my head. My eyes were closed tightly, but I couldn't sleep at all and I was very restless right now.<p>

Just minutes before, I had felt a slight headache coming on, but it had soon evolved into a searing pain. I was unable to think, all the messages and thoughts in my mind misfiring. This pain was so bad, I felt like my head would explode (or implode) at any moment. I couldn't help but to grab my head at this, my shaky hands gasping my hair and pulling tightly on it, desperately trying to make the pain stop.

Carrie and Elliot had helped me back into bed afterwards, but I couldn't hear their voices at all, except for when Carrie's voice had broken through the ringing, her faint words I had been able to make out, but the last one I barely heard, and yet it was so clear. She had said 'I love you', and at least that was something to hold onto, that and the kiss she had given me on my forehead.

Still, I couldn't take this pain. I had no clue what was happening at all. I've had headaches before, but with a fraction of this intensity. Compared to the one that I had felt back in Reveil, this was 20 times worse.

I wearily let out a soft groan, my eyes fluttering open. The pounding in my head was still there as I rolled over on my side once more.

_'I have no idea what's going on.'_ I thought. _'I wish I knew, but this pain is getting worse. Why won't it stop?'_

**"Because it won't stop, not even if you try."**

I didn't care how much my head hurt, but I couldn't help but sit upright in bed. _'Again?'_

"What now?" I hissed, angry, yet surprised that this voice had returned again.

**"Just give up." **It replied. **"You know you can't fight it forever."**

"And who are you to say that I can't try?"

**"You know what fate awaits you, even if I am just a mere fragment."**

Everything was heating up again, just like that time in Reveil. Being in this closed off room only made it worse.

"Stop it!" I cried, leaping out of bed and dashing out of the room. I caught myself on the railing, leaning on it and panting heavily. I felt dizzy, but when I looked downstairs, it got worse when I saw Carrie and Elliot. They were both lying on the floor, unconscious. A few black feathers surrounded Carrie, while Elliot's sword lay by his side.

"Carrie! Elliot!" I rushed downstairs, but when I reached them, I caught sight of something fly by my field of vision.

"The one you shouldn't be worrying about is them." A voice said. Turning in the direction of this voice, I saw a blond haired boy dressed in a cloak and wearing a look of blank emotion. I then recognized this person as one of those people I saw the night I had been kidnapped; Mark.

"You!" I exclaimed.

"They're fine, but you-"

"Shut up!" I interrupted, running out the open door, which I figured Mark must of opened to get in here, and into the front yard. That pain pulsed out again in my head, making me stop. But when I did, I was shoved to the ground, only aggravating my headache even more.

"It seems you're in pain right now." A deeper voice said as I weakly struggled to get free from their grip. "It be best not to move."

"Let...me go!" I managed to say, gritting my teeth together.

"Dan is right, Leo." I stopped squirming and looked up in the direction of the female's voice, knowing who that was too; Dan's sister, Heather.

"Heather." I growled. The last time I had seen her, Carrie dealt her quite the hit, but, considering that she is a Baskerville, it would only make sense that she stands here before me.

"Good to see that you still remember my name." She said, smiling.

"What did you do to Carrie and Elliot?" I demanded.

"Nothing much." She answered. "They'll just be asleep for a bit."

"I don't care what you say! If you dare hurt them, especially Carrie, you'll regret coming here."

Her smile turned into a sly one as she bent down in front of me. "What's this? Are you two now something more? That's grand, that you love such a strong girl, but see, we just need them out of the way."

"What are you talking about?"

She stood up again. "We didn't come for them, we came for you, Leo."

"Huh?" I asked, confused. "Why me?"

"It's simple, really." She twirled around them glanced down at me. "One, you have the two gifts. Two, you have one of 'those' Chains. Three...there's a certain person dwelling inside you, isn't there?"

"You know?" I was surprised that they knew. They must of figured it out from the last time.

"Of course we do." She replied. "Can you please let him talk to us?"

"Don't. I hate hearing that-"

**"I said it before, give up."**

Not again. Seriously, I hate hearing those voices. "Get out of my head for once!"

"Ah! Are you talking with Glen-sama?"

I turned my eyes back up to Heather. "What if I am? I know you want him, but I can fight back too."

**"Stop it now."**

I couldn't help but release a strangled cry as another wave of that awful pain came over me again. I couldn't let him get free though, I had to keep him at bay.

"Oh, there you are Mark." She must be talking with that other Baskerville now. "Do you still have any of that stuff that you used to put those two asleep?"

"Yes, Heather-san." He replied in his usual monotone voice.

"Good." She then gestured to me. "Use it on him so Glen-sama can talk to us freely."

"So, it's true then?"

I heard her sigh at this. "Yes, Mark. Now stop being an idiot and help us out here."

"Right." He then knelt in front of me, placing something over my mouth and nose. The scent was bitter and dizzying, and at some point, I thought I heard Mark quietly whisper, 'I'm sorry'.

Even so, my thoughts were becoming more jumbled, the pain growing more intense, everything around me blurring together.

**"You know, it was inevitable. This fragment is buried deep within you, now a part of you, and there is a slim to none chance that you can remove it."**

I tried to speak against this voice, but I couldn't muster any energy to do it. I wasn't able to hold on any longer, and the last thing I knew, Dan released his hold on me and my head hit the grass with a soft thud.

All my energy was stolen away to leave me thrown limply aside inside my own body.

* * *

><p>A quiet moan escaped me as I stirred and slowly opened my eyes. I found that I was lying on the floor, a few black feathers around me, and Elliot was close by, just starting to awake too.<p>

"What happened?" I wearily asked, sitting up.

"Don't know." He answered, managing to stand, taking his sword from the ground and return it to it's holster. "But, if I'm not mistaken, that Baskerville knocked us out somehow."

"I think you're right, Elliot." I now stood up myself, still feeling the effects of whatever had put us to sleep. "But why would they-"

My eyes caught sight of the open door, and then it all made perfect sense. We had only been knocked out, not hurt or anything. The reason they came here wasn't for us, it was-

"Leo!" Gathering all the strength I could to move my legs, I dashed upstairs, Elliot following close behind. He must of realized it too. When I reached their room, I stopped in the doorway, looking inside with disbelief. The sheets were thrown back, messy and tangled, and what was worse...Leo wasn't here.

"They took him?" Elliot exclaimed.

Tears were welling up in my eyes, stinging them. "No." I whispered softly as I fell to my knees.

_'No, this can't be!'_ My mind was thrown into an absolute panic, but at the same time, my heart was breaking, shattering, over and over again. _'Leo!'_

I then broke down and cried. They hadn't come for us, they had come for Leo, and now they had him. I don't even know their reason why, but I couldn't comprehend the amount of sadness welling up inside me.

They took him, my love, Leo.

"Leo!"

* * *

><p>"How long do you think it will take?" Heather asked her brother, Dan.<p>

"I honestly don't know." He answered.

_'Come on, wake up already.' _Heather was actually very impatient at this point. She had gone to all the trouble of finding him, getting her team together, and now she had to wait even longer. She was already annoyed by how thick his glasses were, so she had slid them far enough away from his eyes so that she could see them when he woke up.

This boy was exactly as how she had thought from the beginning, an egg shell. She knew he wasn't from this time, and even confirmed it herself. Now that she knew that he possessed the three qualities, she was glad enough that she had stumbled upon the secret of the boy who emerged from the Abyss 200 years after he was killed.

Suddenly, she heard a noise coming from him, and glanced over at his eyes.

They slowly opened to reveal a mixture of violet and siver-ish black, the silver-ish black being more prominent than the violet.

"Glen-sama."

* * *

><p>"Let me out! Let me out!" I screamed, my throat hurting each time I said it. "Let me Out!"<p>

Warm salty tears rolled down my face as I stopped pounding on the dead space in front of me and I collapsed.

I couldn't contain my sobs, knowing that I was trapped here, while my body and voice was in someone else's control.

No one was coming to save me; I couldn't get out of here.

All I could think of, was Carrie and Elliot, praying that they were alright. I missed Elliot, but I missed Carrie even more.

"Elliot." I cried, my voice echoing in the void. "Carrie!"

**I was listening to a song called Always Wishing You Were Somewhere Else, by Hammock, while writting the last few parts, and I swear, I nearly cried myself (Argh! I can't stop listening to it!). Although, at the point where Carrie and Elliot wake up after the attack, it fits the those moments very well. I kind of feel bad for Leo right now, especially since Carrie confessed her love to him not too long ago. I have school tomorrow, so when I get home, I'll start the next chapter right away. Feel free to leave a reveiw.**


	27. Trapped Within

**Finally, I've gotten another chapter done. Again, sorry for not updating in a while. Very busy this week, but the four day weekend should prove useful to me. Wow, it's getting cold here. It's suposed to get into the thirtes tonight! Next I suppose there'll be snow. *looks out window* Crap, it's snowing. JK :) the snow will be here soon though.**

Chapter 26: Trapped Within

"Leo." My mouth whispered, tears choking my voice as I contiuned to say his name over and over. Me and Elliot were downstairs, and I sat on the couch, letting my sorrow flow. "Leo."

"Dammit." Elliot hissed from nearby. "What do those people want with him?"

"Leo."

"Enough with your crying already." He said with a sigh, glancing over at me.

"But, Elliot," I whimpered in response. "they took him. If only I could have realized it sooner, then...he might still be here!"

"Carrie-"

"Why?"

"I told you to stop crying!" He suddenly shouted. I looked up at Elliot, who stood in front of me, his expression clearly reading anger and annoyance. "I'm worried about Leo too, but I'm not sitting here crying my eyes out like you are, am I?" He then took my arm, and pulled me upwards. "I do know one thing. I'm not gonna rest until we find him and get him back. And if those bastards dare hurt him, then I'll kill them myself!"

"Elliot." His courage was just filled with awe, and I was frozen in place by his words.

"Leo may be my servant, but he's also my best friend!"

Those words were amazing. I may be his descendent, having hints of his personality, but I could never posses the amount of bravery he has. No where even close to that.

Even with our thin liniage, me and Elliot are two sperate people.

I was able to wipe away the tears and force a smile onto my face. "Thank you...Ellliot."

"That's right. Don't cry anymore." He said to me. "We'll think of something!"

"Y-yeah!" I exclaimed, blinking away the last few tears. "You're right!"

Having Elliot around, I guess you could say I've come to enjoy him being here. It wasn't like I loved him, because that was reserved for Leo and no other, but I had started to adore Elliot as if he was my brother. I honestly felt like he was, even though I've only known him for about a week or so. If he hadn't been her to offer his own brand of comfort, I might still be crying.

He had a point bwhind his words too, we had to formulate some way of getting Leo back.

As I glanced behind him, my eyes caught sight of something lying near the woodstove. "Hey, Elliot, look there."

He turned to see what I was talking about as I walked over and picked it up. It was a large white envolope, a red seal inmprinted on it.

"A letter?" Elliot asked, confused.

"Maybe. But what exactly is inside is the question."

I opened it and took out the letter, knowing Elliot was glancing over my shoulder as I read it.

_To Miss Carrie and Mister Elliot._

_He holds Jabberwock, right? The most powerful of the five is what they seek. In hopes to draw out the others, they await paintently for the time to come. I know, your friend has been taken, hasn't he? A dangerous power resides within him, and, since he is still young, Jabberwock's power will work faster on wearing down his fragile body; it will corode him from the inside out. _

_That's when they think they'll be able to retrive it from him. Listen, they seek two things; the Chain, Jabberwock, and the fragment inside him. What concerns me, is that they won't entirely get the fragment, and that the outcome will ether be the incuse completing the revolution, or the influx of power will kill him._

_Right now, he is with them, trapped inside his own body while another controls him. His emotions are fueled by his darker and psychotic side, while he is controled by the person who dwells in the frgament. _

_You must hurry, for on the night of the darkest day so long ago, at a place of water, sand and ruins, they will try. You must hurry though, because he doesn't have much time left. You must hurry to save him._

_-Icarus_

I silently read the letter over again in my mind, then reading the name at the bottom.

"Icarus? Who's Icarus?" I asked aloud.

"Carrie?" I turned around to face Elliot, an unreadable expresion across his face and his voice in a lower tone. "What does that letter mean?"

_'Eh?'_ Just what was he getting at, when things were perfectly clear?

"Can't you see?" I exclaimed. "This letter is hinting at some important information that could possibly revealing the Baskervilles intentions and why they want Leo."

"No, Carrie." His voice grew tense. "I mean about Leo."

"Oh, right. Well, I think I know where to find him." I was already starting to formulate an idea, knowing a place that wasn't far from here. "You see, there's a beach near some cliffs not too far away. I think that's where they've taken him!"

"Are you sure of that?"

"Yup." I said plainly, walking over to a chair and grabbing my sweater jacket off of it and putting it on. "Like you said Elliot, we're definetly gonna get Leo back. So let's go!"

* * *

><p>"Are you awake, Glen-sama?" She asked the boy who was now just starting to wake up. He shut his eyes once more, but then opened them again.<p>

"A little light headed, but awake." He said, stretching his arms.

"Good." She replied, nodding her head in response.

"It's been quite a while since I could talk like this."

"But what about that time you were faced down with Carrie and her Chain?" Heather asked carefully.

He turned his head to her. "Hmm? You know about that incident?"

"Yeah. Mark told us, having secretly witnessed it."

The boy let out a chuckle. "You know, Heather, you're just like your mother."

"I know that, Glen-sama." She stood from the couch where they were sitting. "I guess I am like my mother, Lottie."

"Ah, yes. Dear Charlotte. And you are the secret child she bared."

"Yes." She replied solemnly. "I was cast into the Abyss and went through the same time lapse as the boy whose body is in your possession. I was adopted among another Baskerville, although Dan never acknowledged me as a sister because I was adopted, even if I was a Baskerville."

"Quite a regrettable history." Suddenly, he felt a faint throbbing in his head.

"Would you like something to eat?" She asked, then noticing the boy rubbing his head. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing." He answered. "It's probably that boy, Leo, trying to fight back."

"Why does he even try? He knows it's hopeless." Her eyes then faintly grew wide. "But, wait, he's contracted to Jabberwock, and-"

"Calm down, Heather." He reassured her, holding up his hand to keep her from speaking. "I know that this power is wildling away at his body, but I won't feel it. It will be directed at him, and he'll feel that pain instead."

"Yes, but that day is fast approaching, and with that incuse as far as it is, it only gives us even more reason to get you out of him quicker."

He nodded. "Ether way, he is finished."

"Yes, Glen-sama." With that, she went into the kitchen of the apartment (she shares it with Dan and Mark.) to prepare some food.

The boy leaned back on the couch, quietly chuckling to himself. This boy's body was no longer 'Leo', it was 'Glen'.

* * *

><p>I was shivering as I lay in the blackness, wakening up once again. I could still feel wet tears on my cheeks, meaning I must have been crying in my sleep. Ah, that's right. I'm concious and aware of everything around me, but I'm not in control of my body, someone else is useing it.<p>

Sitting up, I couldn't help but cough, my chest feeling heavy. I hadn't felt like this when I first woke here, but I now felt like I was being weighed down by something. I tried to stand, but I was unable to, seeing as how I fell back down. This cold that surrounded me and made me tremble, was it just the atmosphere, or was my own body doing this? There was no way to tell, really, but I had started to feel extremely weak from the moment I had woken up.

There was nothing in this darkness, but then, I heard a noise...a small click.

In the next second, a savage scream escaped my throat. In the darkness, I lay there withering in pain. To describe it simply, I felt like I couldn't breathe, and every time I moved, I felt like I was being stabbed with a thousand needles. That pain in my head came back again, once again scattering my thoughts. I rolled over, now clutching my stomach instead, a feeling of something melting like acid flooding me along with the nausea that came with it.

"Corrosion." A voice whispered. "You are already feeling it then."

I couldn't move my head in the direction of the voice, but I was able to answer it. "W-who's there?"

"This affliction, it is speeding up, tearing away at you."

Something came into my field of vision, a pair of bare feet. Slowly, but painfully, I made my head look at this person. They had a blank face, almost like Echo's, but this person's eyes were still full of emotion, even if their face was void of it.

This person who stood in front of me, it was a boy about my age, dressed in a plain shirt and paints, and his silver eyes matched his barely visible black hair.

* * *

><p>Carrie seemed tense as we made our way down a dusty old road that she said lead to the beach. Due to a letter Carrie had found after those damn Baskervilles had taken Leo, it had hinted to their possible location, which Carrie suggested was a nearby beach. She was walking a head of me, leaving me behind her while I tried to sort out my thoughts.<p>

Speaking of letters, what it had said was still bombarding me with multiple questions. It had obviously been talking about Leo, but it also said that he had a Chain called Jabberwock? Last time I knew, he didn't have a Chain. It also talked about a fragment inside him, which also concerned me. When I had asked Carrie about this, she had just blown off my question and changed the subject.

There was something I haven't told her yet, but how many secrets was she hiding?

The letter clearly stated that Leo was in danger, yet, she held a straight face at knowing that. Did she even care that he might die?

I've had it with this silence. One way or another, I'm getting the truth out of her.

"Carrie." I called to her.

"Yes, Elliot?" She voice answered back.

"Do you even care about those things concerning Leo?" I saw her stop dead in her tracks. "You love him, but, would you even care if he died?"

I had stopped walking as well, waiting for her answer. Now standing next to her, I caught a glance at her face, and traces of sadness crossed her face.

"Elliot, I..." She was having trouble finding the words. "I do love Leo, and, if he died...I don't know what I would do. That's why I want to find him. I don't want to lose him, Elliot."

"I'm pretty sure he would feel the same." Then I remembered, that morning four days ago. He had kept repeating her name over and over, calling for her. I had kept it hidden from her, and if she knows, maybe she'll reveal to me what's she's hiding. "The reason why, you ask? Four days ago, about a half hour after you left, I found Leo suffering from a nightmare. He kept tossing and turning under the covers and he called out your name a number of times. It was quite pitiful, because he sounded like something was hurting him and he wanted you there to make things better."

"Huh? But he's never told me about a-"

"I know. But I knew and didn't bother telling you." I interrupted. "Whether you believe me or not, I'm telling the truth. Something then was bothering Leo, and he was desperately calling for you. So, I can say with certainty, that if you were taken instead of him, he would definitely come for you."

She blinked, but then nodded. "Yeah, I guess he would. Actually, I may not look like but I am very worried."

"Shut up. I'm not finished yet." I had thought for sure that she would tell me the things she hides if I had told her this. Looks like I have to come right out and say it. "I've told you this secret that I've kept, but I want to know what you're hiding from me. The things about Leo that you tried to cover up."

Her eyes widened and she gave me a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean what that letter says _about_ Leo. They're true, aren't they?"

She tried to say something, but then let out a sigh, her eyes closing and turning her face away from me. "I'm sorry, Elliot.. In all this confusion, I never thought once to tell you."

"Then tell me now." I demanded, reaching out to grab her arm as she tried to walk away from me. "I want to know these things, because I care about Leo too. We both share that thread."

She looked at me with guilty eyes, and as I glanced into those identical blue eyes, I could tell, she would now open up to me.

"Yes, Elliot." She answered, her voice soft. "All those things are true."

"Then explain, and honestly, got it?"

She nodded and took a breath of air before explaining. "I was hoping he would of told you, but I guess it has to be me instead. Yes, he does have a Chain, and it is Jabberwock. He must of contracted it soon after you died. After that day, he turned on his friends, and he attacked Oz Vessalius with that Chain, trying to send him back to the Abyss. The worst part about that is...well, the contract is...illegal."

"H-he made an illegal contract w-with a Chain?" I stuttered, unable to believe this, but her words were true, I knew that much.

"There is something else too, about the fragment." She continued, but she looked a bit more upset. "It is of Glen Baskerville...because he was the 'container' for his soul."

I felt my heart skip a beat. _'What? What is she saying?'_

"At the time when he attacked Oz with the Chain, by then he had gone insane. And I've seen that here in this time too. One day, when we went to Pandora, he had disappeared, and when I found him, he summoned Jabberwock. Looking into his eyes, I could see an endless black, and at that point, that fragment woke up and took over Leo. I had no choice but to summon my Chain."

I raised an eyebrow in surprise, because she's actually _seen_ his eyes. Wait, forget that. She's never mentioned anything about a Chain for herself. "What Chain?"

She looked me straight in the eyes. "Raven."

Add that to the list of surprises I've received today. "Raven?" I exclaimed in shock. "But how?"

"Apparently, from what my sister had told me, my story is similar to you and that horrible Chain that you destroyed. I contracted it two years ago, but I don't remember at all what had happened, but it did choose me as it's next contractor. Mine is a legal contract, in case you're wondering."

For a moment, I stared at her, trying to take in all this information, but I was able to speak a second later. "So, this is what the letter meant."

She nodded and pulled her arm free of my grasp. "Look, we can sort this out later, but right now, I just want to find Leo and get him back, before it's too late."

"Right, but thanks for telling me anyway." I said as she started to walk along. "I believe all of it."

She glanced back at me. "And I believe what you said too."

* * *

><p>Wind gusted over the sand as me and Elliot walked out onto the beach. Out on the water, the tide appeared to be going out, and the sun shined down on the waves lapping against the shoreline.<p>

"You think they're here?" Elliot asked. "I don't see anything."

"I'm sure this is it." I answered. "There is sand and water here after all."

"But there's no ruins."

"Yeah, but, maybe they're by the cliffs." I said, trying to reassure myself of this.

"Carrie, there isn't any ruins here. There's nothing." Elliot kept insisting.

"Elliot, I'm sure I read that letter right. It said a place of sand, water, and ruins."

I had started walking off toward the water, walking along the point where the water met the land. I looked along the shoreline, out towards the cliffs.

"Carrie, what if you're wrong?" His voice made me stop, the water softly hitting my shoes. I turned back to him, his face expressionless.

"I...I only..." There was no use in denying it any longer, Elliot was right; the Baskervilles weren't here. Feeling dread and sadness start to well up inside me, I collapsed onto my knees. I shut my eyes tightly, my hands trembling.

_'It hurts. What is this feeling?'_ Tears once again came to my eyes, but I didn't even notice the arms that wrapped around me.

"Carrie." It was Elliot who had taken me in an embrace. "I've told you not to cry."

"Elliot," I whimpered. "my heart hurts. It hurts so much."

"I know, but you're okay." He said soothingly. "There's still a chance, and you can't give up ether. Maybe there's some other meaning to those words."

I opened my eyes and looked up at him. "That's it! We've misinterpreted it!"

"Then it must be another place?"

"Yes, of course!" I exclaimed as we stood up. "All we have to do is look into it more carefully!"

"Carrie?" He asked suddenly. "You're scared for Leo right now, aren't you."

I looked at him, then nodded. "Terrified."

* * *

><p>The raven haired boy stood before me, looking down at me as I lay here, pain still pulsing through my body.<p>

"That day is near?" He questioned. "I hate that, but my pity is directed at you."

"What day?" I managed to say. "What are you talking about?"

"That day that took place 300 years ago, it draws near. I hate it so much, Leo."

My eyes widened. "How...do you know my name?"

He sighed. "Dear Leo, I know simply because I've been with you your whole life."

"W-what?" I exclaimed in shock. "How- no, I don't believe you."

"But this is the truth." He insisted, sitting on his knees in front of me. "May I help you up?"

"How can you prove that?" I demanded as he helped me sit up.

"Because I remember that day, after Elliot died and Vincent cut your hair. You threw something at a mirror and then you caused harm to yourself with a forlorn piece of the shattered glass."

I couldn't help but to scurry back slightly from him when he said this. No one knew about that incident except Vincent, who had bandaged my arm after seeing what I did.

"I...I still don't believe you!"

"Then look at this." He grabbed my arm and forcefully pulled up on the sleeve, and there I saw it, a faint scar on my arm. "This scar is proof of what you did, and I can clearly recall that day. You cried endless tears and let your dark emotions get the better of you."

He pulled the sleeve back down, and I only had one question. "Who are you?"

He stood back up, facing away from me. "I can't tell you right now, but I have to say this." He turned back to face me. "If you don't hurry and fight back against Glen, by the time they try to retrieve the fragment, your body will be so weak from the corrosion, there will be a slim chance that you will survive. Most likely, you won't. You have to hurry, to save your love and your master as well."

He was starting to walk away, and I didn't want him to leave yet. "Wait! You can't just leave me!"

"Leo, you have the will to fight back, so use that to your advantage."

"No! Come back!" I tried to stand up on my feet to follow him, but a jolt run through me and I fell down once more. I looked up to get one more look at that mysterious boy, but there was nothing in front of me. He was gone.

"Who...are you?" I panted as I lay there, not being able to keep my eyes open any longer.

However, if he says that I have the will to fight back, then I will fight.

This is my body, and it doesn't belong to Glen.

* * *

><p>I turned another page, looking at yet another map. Upon returning home, Carrie went to something called a 'laptop' and started researching places that fit the description. Meanwhile, I had found a book of maps in her library and was currently looking through that.<p>

This is what we had been doing all through into the afternoon, and still nothing. The longer this search went on, the less time Leo had left, since the power of his Chain and the fragment were eating away at him rapidly.

It was now 3:30 and my eyes were growing tired from constantly scanning over the maps looking for some kind of clue. I found myself dozing off from time to time, and I was trying my best to stay awake.

"Come on, stay awake." I mumbled to myself.

"Elliot!" Carrie exclaimed, suddenly bursting through the door. "Elliot, I found it!"

"You found the location of the Baskervilles?" I asked her.

"Yeah! I was looking at the letter and then the envelope that it came in, and I found a dagger inside the envelope." She explained. "It's blade was made of diamond, and I started to wonder if that tied to the location in some way. What I found is that there was an old abandoned gravel pit where a complex was built to harvest granite and junk, but it was built on top of the place were a diamond was found."

"Are you sure of the location this time? I mean, it's still missing one component."

She nodded. "Sand can mean other things too. But, Elliot, there is a pool of water that sits near the complex. So all three of the marks are there, and I'm certain that this is the location!"

"Good." I said through gritted teeth. "Now we can give those Baskervilles what they deserve!"

"I want to head out right away actually." She said as I put the book down. "The town that it's in, well outskirts of town, it'll take nearly a day to get there."

"Then what are we waiting for!" I exclaimed, standing up.

"Well, If you help me pack some things first, we can be on our way in about five to ten minutes."

I stuffed my phone back into my bag, having left a message for Sasha explaining our ordeal and what we were doing. She'd probably call sometime later and yell at me, but that didn't matter.

Right now, what did matter was getting to the city Aroila so we could find the granite complex. Aroila was another town like ours, so a mode of transportation wouldn't be too difficult. My mind kept drifting back to Leo, wondering how he was right now, hoping that he was alright.

Once we got onto an access road, via the carriage, something hit me; the reason of why we needed to hurry.

"Hey, Elliot." I said calmly.

"Yeah?" Te asked from next to me. "If you're gonna make me drive this carriage, then-"

"No, it's not that." My hands tightened on the reins "You do realize we're heading straight for a battle, right?"

He was silent for a moment, then his hand slid down to his sword, which he always had with him. "I figured that."

"And do you know what tomorrow is?"

"No. I have no clue at all."

My eyes closed, but I opened them again. "The 300th anniversary of the Tragedy of Sablier."

Silence passed between us both, but it was Elliot who broke it. "Of course."

As we continued on, there was a storm of emotions in my heart, conviction trying to sway me. I was indeed heading for a battle, and what I feared, is that I might be too late.

I wanted so desperately to save Leo, and I didn't want him to die.

* * *

><p><em>To Miss Carrie<em>

_This is meant for you and only you, because only you can accomplish it, and I imagine reading this will be hard enough as it is for you._

_There is not much time before the clock strikes midnight tomorrow, and it will be then when his life will be hanging on by a thread. If he is to survive, the fragment must be removed, and Jabberwock sealed. I'm sure you think that it's impossible, however, there is a way to do this, but it may be hard on you._

_Inside this envelope, along with this letter is a dagger, it's blade made of pure diamond and laced with the components of ancient symbols and spells needed to fulfill your goal. But, here is the part that will be hard on you._

_With this blade, you must stab it through the incuse on his chest, straight into his heart._

_Yes, I know, it seems brutal, but, if you then activate and channel your hidden power into him using Raven, then the fragment will be forced out of him and you can seal Jabberwock. Also, if you have a blood sealing mirror on you at the time (I've also included one of those.), the contract will reset and channel into the mirror. Time this right, and after you remove the blade, the wound will heal, and he will be saved._

_My best wishes to both of you._

_-Icarus_

**Almost done. In case you're wondering, the last part is a letter Carrie received before she told Elliot of the Baskerville's location. And she has good reasons not to tell Elliot. The next chapter will be the battle that they're all expecting, and Carrie's gonna have to face her own true love in this fight. Sadly, there are only 4 more chapters, and I'll try to make the next one really long (I'm bad at battle scenes to begin with.) it might take a while though, so be patient. **

**Feel free to leave a reveiw.**


	28. In the Calm of the Gale

**Okay, finally up. Ugh, it's raining outside. I guess it's better than having snow come down just yet. Well, I know the battle was supposed to be in this chapter, but the chapter as a whole turned out to be so long, that I split it in two. This chapter will just be the build up to that. I will consider combining the two chapters later, but I'll leave it as is for now. Also, when it's told from the Baskerville's point of veiw they adress Leo as Glen (just to clear up any confusion.)**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

Chapter 27: In the Calm of the Gale

The road to Aroila was long and tiring. I had been right on one account, because when we stopped to rest in a town halfway between Kara and Aroila, Sasha had called and then proceeded to yell at me and Elliot. God, she is so damn irritating! I spent an hour trying to explain things to her, and, eventually she calmed down and listened to what I had to say. She was still mad at me about what we were doing, but she said that if Leo's life really was in danger, then she would leave these problems to me. The last thing she had said to me was, 'be careful.'

After I had fallen asleep in the carriage, I woke up two hours later to find that it was moving and Elliot was driving it. I thanked him for that, but he just replied by saying that I should sleep. I guess that was true, after all, because of tomorrow, it would be the 300th anniversary of that day, and the battle would soon be upon us come nightfall.

I kept listening to Hammock songs on my ipod, but there was one I couldn't stop listening to. It was called Always Wishing You Were Somewhere Else. No matter how many times its beautiful sound echoed through my mind, I couldn't stop thinking of Leo.

I wanted to stop, but I couldn't. Looks like heartache and worry was getting the better of me.

Sometime early the next morning, I took over for Elliot so he could sleep. Of course he complained about it, but he complied eventually. Seriously, we both had to be ready for what was going to happen today.

"So, today's the day, right?" He asked me before he stepped inside the carriage.

"Yeah. Today it has been officially 300 years since the Tragedy of Sablier." I replied as I had grabbed the reins.

He was silent for a moment, but then asked, "When will we arrive in Aroila?"

"Mid afternoon. We'll have to get some information as to how far out the complex is from the city, then make out way from there."

"Good." With that, he closed the carriage door, and I snapped the reins, the horses once again pulling our carriage closer to Aroila.

* * *

><p>"Let me out." I hissed through my clenched teeth as another wave of pain came over me, my voice repating the same three words over and over, not letting up on the anger in them. I was still standing though, once again pounding my fist on the dead space in front of me. "Let me out!"<p>

I knew Glen could hear me, and what that black haired boy from earlier said to me was true; I did have the will to fight back, because this is my body. After waking up again, I had decided that I would fight back, and use all of my strength that I had left. He had said something was corroding me inside, and I could feel that, but I wasn't about to let that get in my way.

Those people intend to hurt Carrie and Elliot, and I'm not going to let that happen.

"Glen, I know you can hear me! Let me out!" I cried again.

I whipped the sweat off my forehead, already feeling exhausted from this effort. I felt like I was going to be sick at any second, but I continued to hit the empty space anyways. My body was growing weaker, I knew that, but I still had to try.

If there was someway to break through this prison of my subconscious, get back to the real world, I could save them, the only two people I had left in this world.

"Let me out!"

I grabbed my stomach as I suddenly felt it twisting into several knots, sinking down to my knees as I did so. My tightened fist though, remained on the black wall, and I looked up at it in anger, my pent up furry being vented through my effort. The corrosion was growing stronger, but I have no choice but to put up with it.

No mater how ill I felt, no matter how tired I get, no matter how much this corrosion was eating away at me, more than anything, I wasn't about to give up.

* * *

><p>"Glen-sama, if I may ask, that girl, Carrie, why is she a threat?" Heather asked Glen, who was buttoning up his jacket of his old clothes. (Mark took them from Carrie's house)<p>

"Young Carrie, you mean?"

"Yes. From what Mark had said, you had said that she is a threat, that her existence is volatile."

Glen looked over to the dark purple ribbon, picking it up. "Because she is. That girl is the embodiment of that insolent girl."

"Here, let me tie that for you." Heather suggested. He only nodded and let her tie the ribbon around the younger boy's neck. "Now, as you were saying, who exactly is Carrie the supposed reincarnation that you are hinting at?"

"Anastasia Mouchette."

"Huh?"

"You see, Heather, back in my time lived a girl named this. For some reason, she held a tremendous power that she never knew of, and thus, never used." Glen explained as she finished tying the ribbon. "There was only one time she ever used it, and it was on today 300 years ago after I tried to get rid of her myself, since she was being an obstacle. That foolish boy, Aaron, died trying to save her, and she found me afterwards and unleashed that power."

"I've seen Carrie's power first hand, but that was with her Chain, Raven." Heather said as she opened the curtains. "She really has a power though that is causing an imbalance of the Abyss?"

"Yes. Like that boy 200 years ago, Oz Vessalius, her existence is a threat." Suddenly, that faint throbbing in his head from yesterday was back, and growing stronger. "It's very...volatile."

The last word came out strained and he couldn't help but fall to his knees, one of his hands to his head.

"Glen-sama!" Heather exclaimed, rushing over and dropping down next to him. "Are you alright?"

He breathed out through his nose, then whispered, "Stupid boy."

"Huh? Is it Leo again?" She asked, helping him up.

"Persistent, I'll give him that much."

Suddenly, there is a knock on the door. Heather went over and opened it, only to see Dan and Mark standing in the doorway. Her adoptive brother held a red cloak, and Mark...well, he just wore the same blank face as always.

"Here." He said, tossing her the cloak. "Are you two ready? We have to get to the complex so we can prepare."

"Yes. Oh, and get some water for Glen-sama while you're at it." She looked back at him. "That boy is trying to fight back."

"I appreciate your concern, Heather, but I only have to put up with it for a little longer." Glen reassured her.

"We're only thinking of you, but you are right. It will only be for a little longer."

He nodded. "Yes, when the clock strikes midnight, that boy, Leo...his life will be over."

* * *

><p>Just as Carrie had said, we arrived in Aroila by mid afternoon. The town was almost the same as her hometown, Kara, horse-drawn carriages passing us by as we went along.<p>

As for trying to get information on the granite complex Carrie had talked about, we weren't making much progress. For starters, it had been shut down so long ago (50 years maybe), that there was hardly any information about it. People said that there was nothing left of it, but, based on pictures that we had found, we were assured that there were still remains. This fit the concept of ruins that the letter had talked about.

Carrie did most of the talking, leaving me alone with my thoughts. There was an odd feeling I got about her though. She may look like an almost mirror copy of myself, but to me, she's become like...a sister. She reminded me so much of my dear sister, Vanessa, who had perished the night of the party when her head was cut off.

I still feel bits of guilt, her death having been caused by my hand, but Carrie was almost like a replica, except without the dark short hair and the hatred Vanessa held towards Leo.

_"If something happened to that servant...I'll find you a new one myself!"_

No, Carrie wasn't like that. In reality, she held the exact opposite, because what she was doing right now, it was because she loved Leo.

I haven't known her long, but I can tell that she's a strong girl, like Vanessa.

"Anything?" I asked Carrie as I saw her walk back to the carriage.

"Not much." She answered. "Same information."

"Damn." I muttered. "No one knows?"

"Well, let's head to the library next. Maybe some people there know." She got back up and sat down next to me, taking the reins once more. Her face appeared to be blank and her eyes tainted with worry. In a way, I can sense that, because tonight is the only chance we have to save Leo.

"Carrie." She turned her head to me upon hearing her name called. "We're gonna get him back."

She then smiled. "Yeah, and you know what? I won't give up ether, because no matter if was Leo or you, I wouldn't leave you two behind no matter what."

I blinked, then offered a grin back at her. _'She really is like you, Vanessa.'_

* * *

><p>"We're here." Dan announced to the three other people in the carriage; Mark, Heather, and Glen. When the carriage stopped, Mark gathered his things and stepped out, Heather following behind him, then Glen.<p>

"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked as she looked back at him. "You look a bit pale."

"It's nothing." He answered. "This boy's body is frail because he has a weak immune system."

"If you say so, but you don't have to really help us prepare or anything. You can rest if needed, and let us do all the work."

Glen adjusted the glasses on his face and continued walking along with the other Baskervilles. He didn't really mind the glasses much, but it was the boy trapped inside that was causing him trouble. The headaches he had been feeling were being caused by that boy, and it irritated him that the boy was still resisting.

_'He knows it's hopeless. He knows his life will end tonight. Yet...why does he still fight?'_ Glen wondered.

It wasn't that he was worried that the boy trapped inside, Leo, would break free would break free of the prison that was his subconscious, but his effort's that were causing Glen these headaches were starting to get annoying.

Meanwhile, Mark looked at each of the other people around him. All of them, with the exception of Glen, were dressed in their red robes. As they walked inside, he glanced at the structure that was now in ruins, yet further inside, part of it was still intact as a whole. Ever deeper, that's were the ceremony that would retrieve the fragment would be held, and at the stroke of midnight, the body of the boy that Glen possessed, Leo...he would be...

Why was that strange to him, that Leo would be dead?

This one thought was invading his mind, taking him over like a disease, filling his every thought with the faint subtext.

As he lead Glen to a room that had been prepared in advance, he began to think back on all those things. He remembered the first time he had seen the young girl, Carrie, using her Chain to save the boy they had captured. There was also one time, he had seen the confrontation between the two when Glen had first taken control. He could tell right then and there, that the girl was in love with him, and she would try anything to get him back.

_'I wonder...how she will react to this?'_ He thought to himself, a bitter thought that needed to be kept to himself.

Was all of this...was it wrong?

"Here's the room we prepared for you." Mark said to Glen as he opened a door.

Glen only nodded in response and walked inside, closing the door behind him. After a moment, Mark walked away rubbing his head, all his thoughts jumbled and confused.

Suddenly, he felt a slight pain inside him and he stopped walking as he felt bile rise in his throat, then coughing it up. He leaned against the wall, trying to steady himself as another wave of nausea flooded him.

"Dammit." He muttered. "The medicine keeps wearing off faster and faster."

Regaining a bit of his strength, he started walking again, wondering if Heather had brought his medicine for him. His steps were now slow, but he was getting his energy back after that spasm had gone through him.

He had told Heather and Dan that he needed to take his medicine regularly because of his condition, but it was only a front, and he knew that.

After a few minutes of searching, he found Heather holding a piece of paper.

"Heather-san." Mark called out as he approached the female Baskerville, who was looking at a sketch of the sigils needed for the ceremony.

"What?" She set the paper down and turned to face him.

"You brought my medicine, right?"

She sighed, reaching for something in her pocket. "Yeah. Did you have another attack again?"

"Just a small one." He said as Heather handed a small bottle to him. He unscrewed the cap and put two pills in his mouth, effortlessly swallowing them.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine now." He said in his usual monotone voice. "But, I need to talk to you."

"Fine, but we're short on time here."

He took in a breath of fresh air and began. "Is this right?"

Heather looked at him, confused and surprised. "Mark, what are you-"

"I mean, I know this is to free Glen and all, but, we're also killing an innocent boy." He explained, this opinion finally flowing after being bottled up for so long. "I can't see what he's done wrong. I do still follow in what we believe in, but, I don't see the gain by killing Leo."

***Slap***

The side of Mark's face stung, and he knew then that Heather had slapped him across the face.

"W-what the hell are you going on about?" She demanded. "That boy is binding Glen-sama! The fragment needs to be retrieved to set him free, and that egg shell is standing in our way! Yeah, he'll die, so what?"

"Heather-san-"

"He is a threat to all of us! Do you realize he has the power to kill all of us?" Her angry shouts were wild and filled with rage. "If we release Glen-sama, then the boy will die, and that obstacle will be out of the way."

He could do anything else at this point but to comply. "I see. Sorry, Heather-san."

"Good, now make yourself useful and go see if Dan needs any help." She ordered.

"Yes, Heather-san." He walked away, but those feelings were still making him feel uneasy.

Mark found it odd how, even though he was a Baskerville, all of this was strange and foreign to him.

_'That boy is too young, he's at his limit. Leo doesn't deserve to die.'_

* * *

><p>"Oh my God!" I exclaimed as I rushed back to the carriage. Elliot glanced down at me as I scrambled to get back up to where he was. "I found it, Elliot!"<p>

"You know where the complex is?" He asked me.

"Yes. It's about two miles from here, which will take about thirty minutes."

"We have to get moving then." He added gesturing over to the setting sun. "It's growing dark out here."

I nodded. There wasn't much time left at all. On our way here, we had gotten caught up in quite a problem, the being one of the bridges was being repaired. Due to that, we were rerouted an hour out before we could get back on the right road. It had reached 7:00 by the time we got here and we had been trying to gather information for a half hour. By the time we would reach the complex, it would be 8:00, which left us with four hours.

As soon as we left the limits of the downtown area, the sky had grown even darker, yet the sun still painted a glow onto everything.

"Elliot," I asked suddenly. "we don't have a plan, do we?"

"Nope." He answered.

"I thought so." I looked out at the sky, now a light purple remaining in the air. Oh, how it reminded me of Leo's eyes, those deep night sky, lilac eyes.

"I know this might be stupid to you, but...do you believe in fighting till the end?"

I glanced back over to him, his gaze directed to the sky also. "Of course, I mean, why wouldn't I? See, you can't gust give up and lightly toss away everything, you have to fight and struggle against the odds no matter how desperate and hopeless it seems. You have to fight, right till the end."

"Hmm. I see." His eyes were still staring out onto the horizon. "We might think the same, but what about Leo?"

I closed my eyes for a moment, then opening them again. "I think that he would definitely fight too. He once said to my sister, that he wants to protect me. By that, I think he means that he would protect us, but fight with the same strength that we have."

"We fight then. That's the plan."

I grinned. "Yeah, I guess so. We have to rescue Leo, and we'll fight to get him back."

* * *

><p>The tall metal structure of the old granite complex loomed over us as it came into view. Carrie had pulled the carriage off to the side of the road, tying the reins around a tree so the horses wouldn't run away on us. There seemed to be a radiant energy surrounding Carrie, but I really don't know, I'm just judging by the look on her face.<p>

When we were ready, we walked out onto the dirt path, the moon already rising through the branches of the trees. This place did fit the description exactly; a dirt path lead up to the complex, which, over the years, had fallen into ruins. Spread out around the complex, the were mounds of granite, few pounded up so that it was nothing more than gravel, tiny as sand.

_'So, by sand, it meant the gravel.' _I concluded, taking a handful of the gravel as we walked past a mound. I wasn't exactly sure what the water part meant, but there was something about this place, something about this situation that made me anxious.

Based on that, there's no doubt this is the place.

"It is like ruins, don't you think?" Carrie asked.

I looked up at them. "I guess so."

"So, where do you suppose we start? We only have four hours."

"Honestly, I don't have a clue."

Carrie took to looking around, but then her eyes flashed suddenly and I heard a rustling from somewhere nearby. I heard it too, and looked around, not seeing anything. I glanced back at Carrie, her eyes darting around and looking for the source of the noise.

I heard it again, this time closer, and I reach for my sword by reflex.

"Carrie, something's here!" But when I looked back at her, her face was frozen with an unreadable expression, and, without warning, she fell to the ground.

Surprised, I took one step towards her, and I felt it too. It was a strong and oppressive energy, making my ears ring with it's high pitched noise. With Carrie's power, it was clear that she had fallen easy, so it must be taking more time on me. Still, I don't know how much I could take.

I tried to look around for the enemy, wanting to draw my sword out in defense, but my hand that held the hilt wasn't responding, it was trembling instead.

The ringing picked up on octave, and it's noise stung as I fell to my knees, bringing back memories of when the Baskervilles ambushed us yesterday. I couldn't take it much more, and soon I was giving into the darkness as two figures approached wearing red robes.

_'Dammit...!'_

* * *

><p>"How did they get here?" Dan asked, carrying both Carrie and Elliot over his shoulders. Mark walked beside him, carrying Elliot's sword, carefully looking over it's sleek black surface.<p>

"Who...knows." He swallowed again, fighting down another urge to throw up what he had eaten earlier after talking to Heather.

"Are you alright?" Dan asked, taking notice of Mark's pale face. "Heather-san told me it happened again."

He nodded, but uncertain with himself. "Yes, it's just that my medicine hasn't kicked in yet."

"You seem to be getting worse every year. Are you sure everything's okay?"

"I assure you, I'm fine."

Dan sighed and glanced at each of the teens slung over his shoulders. "Anyway, I don't even know how they found this place."

"I'm just as clueless as you are, but I think it would be quite obvious that they would have come though."

"You may have a point there." He looked over at the shorter boy as he stopped walking. Dan turned back to him and put a hand to Mark to steady him, still balancing the two others. "We'll see what Heather-san wants to do with them, then you can go and sleep until we're ready. I'll help Heather-san with the rest."

"Thanks." There was something off in his voice, like a hint of regret.

"Mark-kun," He asked as they walked inside. "Is something bothering you? Did you and Heather-san get into a fight or something?"

"No, nothing like that." But in the back of his mind, he knew that Dan had gotten it exactly right.

Actually, everything he said was right, Mark was just throwing out lies to cover it up. His body kept getting weaker with each passing year, his medicine getting less and less effective, and he wondered, just how much longer it would be before he was weak enough that he wouldn't be needed anymore. When would the day come where things would be shattered?

Meanwhile, he still had these conflicting thoughts. These two people that they were now bringing back to Heather, he knew they would stand witness to what would be done in a matter of a few hours. Elliot would once again lose his servant, and Carrie's heart would be broken. All of this still felt wrong, but he couldn't go against orders.

Mark was still a Baskerville after all.

**Right, now the next chapter will be the battle, I assure you. Carrie and Elliot are in for a fight though, and they'll have a very limited amount of time to acomplish their goal. Just as a note, what's happening with Mark, it doesn't really matter to this story, but will become important in the sequel. I'll have the next chapter sometime next week. **

**As always, feel free to leave a reveiw.**


	29. Midnight

**Whew! It is done! Well, not the story, there's still about three chapters left, but this chapter is done. First, as I've said in chapter 13, I suck at writing battle scenes, so forgive me for that. I do hope you enjoy the chapter anyway, I spent most of my day writting it. There were two songs I listened to while writting this; Go, by Asia, and Seperate Ways (Worlds Apart), by Journey. I couldn't decide which one was better battle music, so I decided that the were both perfect for this chapter. They're good songs anyways.**

**So excited for the new chapter of Pandora Hearts that will come out soon, but will probably be late again (takes a few days to get english scanlation.)**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

ch.28: Midnight

Something caught my attention. I turned from the empty space and looked to see a tiny light. Faint echoes came from it, and, even if I couldn't make out the words, much less hear them, it gave rise to a faint glimmer of hope within me.

"Light." I muttered weakly.

My hands twitched at seeing it. It seemed far away, but, what was beyond that? Was it a way out of here?

There's sense in hoping and trying, right?

I tried to shallow down my fear that I was feeling at the moment, and then, just like the first time I found myself in the Abyss, I took off running. The light was still far away, but I could reach out and keep trying to grab it until I could take it and let the light take me.

That's right, I need to get back. I need to get back to Elliot, my best friend and master. I need to get back to Carrie, my love. I need...to get back to the real world and the people who care about me.

If this was a way to break through my subconscious, find a way out and regain control of my body, let it be; I want it to be true.

I'm getting out of here!

* * *

><p>"Carrie." Someone called to me. "Carrie!"<p>

My eyes fluttered open and I saw the identical icy eyes of Elliot looking down at me. "Elliot..."

I sat up, and I looked around, finding that we were in some kind of large room. Old rusted mechanical part hung from all kinds o places, and an old catwalk was above us, still in good condition by the looks of it.

Then I remembered. I had heard this high pitched noise, like white noise, and then I collapsed. My guess, the Baskervilles had anticipated our arrival. Elliot must of been knocked out too, otherwise he might not be here with me.

"Deja vu." I muttered.

"Huh?"

I must of confused him by saying that. "What happened to us yesterday, it happened again."

"Oh, that. On top of that, my sword is gone too. Those Baskervilles probably took it, and I'm getting it back." He stood up, looking over our surroundings. "Anyway, where do you thing we are?"

"Somewhere inside the complex, I'm sure."

"Of course you are." We both looked back op at the catwalk, the source of this voice, and we saw Heather and Dan standing there, looking down at us. Mark was the only one not here.

"You?" Elliot exclaimed.

"Hey, what about the other?" I asked, getting up as well. "Also, what do you want from us."

"Mark is unwell at the moment and is resting." Dan answered. "But then again, that's none of your concern."

"We only want to keep you at bay, just for a little while longer until Glen can be released." Heather added.

"You mean Leo?" I could practically feel the rage radiating from him.

Oh, wait, that's right! I glared at them and demanded, "Where is Leo?"

"Right here." It wasn't any of the Baskervilles who said it. Heather stepped aside and there, before my eyes, was Leo. He was dressed in the clothes that he wore to the dance at school, with the exception of a purple ribbon in place of the red one. One different thing is that there was a sword in its holster strapped to his side, which was odd considering he's bad with swords. His glasses were still one his face, but they were titled down so slightly that I saw his eyes, and my breath caught in my throat when I saw the color.

Those violet eyes were black once again.

"L-Leo...?" I carefully asked, hoping I had misjudged the color.

"Hello, young Carrie, or should I say...Anastasia Mouchette." He said calmly.

My eyes widened, Glen had control of him again. "You bastard! What have you done with Leo!"

"Calm down." He cast a devious smile at me. "But you should forget about him, because he is gone."

"W-what?" I didn't know what he was saying, or believe it ether.

"Leo, what the hell are you going on about, you idiot?" Elliot asked. "Why are you calling her Anastasia?"

"Oh, Elliot. You really don't get it, which is to be expected I guess." He then turned his attention back to me. "I guess you don't seem to realize it yourself, who you really are."

"Cut the crap, Leo!" I shouted. "This is stupid! Whether or not I'm some reincarnation, it doesn't matter. I'm just 'Carrie', not 'Anastasia'. And I...just want you." I took a step forward, looking up at him with a desperate face. "Please, I love you, Leo, and can't we just continue on? This is foolish, so come back down here and kiss me and tell me that we can fight them instead?"

He blinked but the narrowed his eyes at me. "In a game like this...why would I love you?"

That did it. I could practically feel my heart break at those words. "B-but, Leo...if you go though with this...y-your body will-"

"Forget that!" His hand tightened on the railing of the catwalk. "This is just a game of tag you see. And I...I don't have feelings for an insolent girl." He let go of the railing and took a step back. "Have fun playing tag with the Cards."

"Leo!"

He looked back down at me, and there were...tears? "I...stop calling me Leo. It's Glen."

With that, him and the Baskervilles walked away, but I couldn't grasp those words that Leo had said to me. But then, what were the tears for? Did he not mean what he said?

"Dammit, Leo, get back here!" Elliot called after them, but it was no use.

"Elliot, stop." I said, holding an arm outstretched in front of him. "There are other things to take care of."

From the shadows, Chains slinked out towards us, multiple in number, and I knew quickly that they were Cards, the weakest kind of Chain. Elliot's sword was missing, so I had to be the one to protect him.

"Elliot, get behind me." I said in a lower voice.

"Huh? What are you-"

"My power is dangerous, so get behind me." The Cards came into focus, and I was about ready to obliterate them all.

_"Carrie, even though they are Cards, there's a massive amount."_ Raven spoke up.

_'It's been a while, Raven.' _I said back. _'I need your help here.'_

_"What do you suggest we do?"_

_'Kill them all!'_

My eyes grew wide, and chains lashed out, impaling the first string and turning them into dust. The second string was quicker to react, and I charged head on at them chains striking them and black fathers falling down as they dissolved into dust.

There's probably three or four more strings of about ten each by the looks of things. I moved back to Elliot in preparation for the next string.

They came, and I killed them off one by one. However, by the time the fourth string came. I wasn't sure how much longer I would be able to keep this up. I charged into another attack with the first string, but one of the Cards caught me and knocked me back with one swing at me.

"Carrie!" Elliot exclaimed as I skidded back to where he was.

"I'm fine." I managed, getting back on my feet. The Cards were closing in on us, and I might just need to call out more power to get rid of these things, but that might send me into a berserker mode, and I might hurt Elliot in the process.

If it has to come down to calling upon that though, they're be no choice.

Suddenly, something like daggers rained down from the ceiling, obliterating the forth string. Then a vortex of blue flames came are demolished the fifth and final string.

"Catch." A voice said, we turned in it's direction, and Elliot just barely caught something that was being thrown at him.

"My sword!" He exclaimed.

I looked at Elliot, then back at this person who had helped us. They were standing atop a large piece of machinery, and I couldn't see their face because it was shadowed. Who ever this person was, they had helped us, so the least I can do is thank them.

"Thanks." I said up to them.

"No problem." the person answered, obviously a male by their voice. "You have to hurry though, there's not much time left!"

"What do you- wait." I turned to Elliot. "How long were we out?"

"I don't know."

Feeling panic, I looked back at the mysterious stranger. "What time is it?"

"11:00 PM." He answered reluctantly.

"Shit!" I exclaimed. "We've only got an hour left."

"Wait." I looked back at the stranger. "He's still there you know, Glen just has him locked away. He still loves you."

"Ah, I..." I shook my head, blinking away the tears. "Who are you?"

The person sighed. "I'm sorry. I can't tell you right now. But, I'll tell you this. Besides the power of your Chain, there is one deep inside you that only you can use, one that transcends the Abyss itself."

_'A power?' _Raven had mentioned that a few times before, and now this person was confirming it for me.

Did I really have a power like that?

"Thanks a lot. I-" But they were gone, just like that. I sighed and glanced back at Elliot. "Come on, Elliot. We haven't a moment to lose!"

* * *

><p>"Leo." I hear her voice.<p>

I stop running and slow down to a walk, straining to hear her voice again. I'm looking for her, but she's nowhere in this void.

"In this game...why would I ever love you?"

My eyes widened, because it was my own voice, but I never spoke those words; Glen was using my voice.

"No!" I cried out, my words echoing. "Carrie, don't listen to him!"

I don't want to hear my voice say those words to me, because it's not me, it's Glen. Does she not see that I'm being used? Can't she...

_'Don't listen, Carrie!' _My own thoughts were turning against me now, knowing that her heart was breaking.

"Carrie." I cried a silent tear rolling down my cheek. "I love you!"

I sniffle to try and stop anymore tears, and then, gathering myself once more, I start running again, the light closer now, even if the pain in me is growing worse.

* * *

><p>"It's nearly time, Glen-sama." Heather announced.<p>

"Good." His was trying to ignore the pounding in his head, but it was getting worse, almost to the breaking point.

_'How can he still fight?'_ Glen asked himself. _'How is he that close?'_

"Soon you'll be free, Glen-sama. And that egg shell will be out of the way." She continued. She then looked over at Dan. "Will you go wake Mark? I don't care how much he wants to sleep. His medicine should of kicked in by now, so he should be well enough to come."

Dan nodded and turned to go back to the room that Mark was in. The other boy's condition was strange, and, after this was all said and done, he knew he'd have to examine the boy to see how his health was. Mark had complained several times that he was fine, but he and Heather and agreed that if he had another attack, worse than before, they would take him to the hospital whiter he liked it or not.

As he turned down a corridor, he didn't notice the two others there. It wasn't until one of them grabbed him and hit him on the head with something hard did he acknowledge their presence.

* * *

><p>"He'll be fine." I told Elliot as I set Dan up against a peice of machinery.<p>

"You ready?" He asked me.

I nodded in response. "Yeah, I am. But, Elliot, that power I have, if I activate it somehow and I go out of control, get Leo out of here, okay?"

He was silent for a moment, but then answered. "Yeah, whatever."

I knew he understood.

We snuck along the shadows of the ruins, keeping an eye on Heather and Leo. Finally, we came to a large open room. Most of it was in tact, and in the center, there were sigils drawn out in a pattern.

"Now we just wait for Dan and Mark." Heather said. "They're short on time though."

"They'll be here, but I can live with the fact that this boy will be dead soon. He's always been a hinderance."

"Yes, Glen-sama."

"Now!" I shouted. Elliot responded to my command as he drew his sword and jumped out at Heather. Meanwhile, I brought out a chain and let it coil around my hand, then aiming it at Leo. It didn't strike him, but hit the concrette off to the side. Heather dodged Elliot's sword and I went to stand next to him as the chain came back to my hand.

"Leo, stand down." I commanded.

He just snickered, and a gust of wind picked up. "You know we are Baskervilles, so why?"

"Shut it, Glen! I know your game." He raised an eyebrow at me in response. "You're only useing his voice, but only I know. Leo loves me no matter what! He can break free!"

"If it's a battle you're looking for, let it be so." The I saw it again, the Chain whose power was coroding Leo's body; Jabberwock.

"That's Jabberwock?" Elliot exclaimed.

"Yeah, and I'll fight it."

"What? Carrie-"

I put a hand on hs shoulder. "Elliot, I need to face this with Raven, I've done it before. You take care of Heather."

"Have you made up your mind yet?" Leo asked, yawning. "This game is boring."

"Yeah." I summoned Raven and it fully appeared, letting out a shreak. "We will fight!"

He turned to Heather, who nodded in response, then lunged at me, but Elliot blocked her with his sword. "You'll have to kill me to get her, and I don't die easy."

Elliot and Heather began their fight as she drew out twin daggers. I took after Leo, and our Chains began their own battle.

Everyone was faced down with an opponent; Elliot and Heather, Raven and Jabberwock, and me and my true love...Leo.

* * *

><p>The clang of swords, the clash of two Chains, there was no doubt about it; something was happening.<p>

I heard a sudden muffled cry and I saw an image float by. I saw Carrie, jumping up to dodge a Chain but caught in the gust of the two bird-like Chains, sending her back to the ground.

"Carrie!"

I had to get out of here, I had to help her. The light was so far though, how was I suposed to get there in time?

I saw another image float by, this time of Elliot battiling the girl named Heather. "Elliot!"

I needed to keep moving, even though I was tired.

When I looked back towards that light though, it was different. This time, it was right in front of me.

The light was here, the light that could lead me home. But, then again, what if it didn't? What if it was a trap that would keep me trapped here forever...or worse?

The two images passed by, Carrie and Elliot continued to fight. Just seeing them like this, while I can't do a thing, it tears me up. I want to help them.

I turned back to the light and took in into my hands, glowing brighter until the entire void was filled with it.

* * *

><p>Raven was doing well in fighting off Jabberwock, and Elliot with Heather. As for me though, Leo kept blocking my attacks. I was becoming frustrated with this. If I was going to be able to do anything before I resort to something else, I needed to get closer, not use the chains and instead hand to hand combat.<p>

"What's the matter?" Leo asked as I just barely missed another chain from striking me. "Is this boring you? Are you tired of this game of tag that we-"

He suddenly stopped, his eyes behind his glasses growing wide and then clutching his head suddenly. Raven stopped attacking as Jabberwock faded away, and as I looked back at Leo, I realized that I needed to go in now. I would end all of this, whether I liked it or not.

_'This is it!'_ I sealed up Raven, but kept a fraction of it's power out and went in. Leo turned his head up to me once I approached him, and took my arm, twisting it behind me.

"Carrie!" Elliot exclaimed, seeing me, but then barley missing Heather as her daggers caught a few strands of his hair, cutting it.

I tried to break free, and I got my chance when I saw Leo wince in pain again, a hand going to his head. I elbowed him, just as I had accidentally done a few weeks ago, and he let go of me. I was about to twist his own arms behind him, but not before I grabbed his shoulders and saw something.

Through the lenses, I saw a rich violet, not black.

I let go and took a step back. "L-Leo...?"

I know that color is looking back at me; Leo is looking back at me. He looks to be in shock, and I can well imagine that, but, really, all that mattered was that my lover had come back...Leo had come back.

I couldn't draw out the courage to even think about removing the fragment, much less speak. He was quicker than me though, as he opened his mouth to say something. However, he stopped and his face contorted into panic, turning from me and running off into a corridor that was falling apart.

"Leo!" At that moment, I noticed that Elliot had managed to ward off Heather enough, because she miscalculated her jump and slipped, hitting her head and rendering her unconscious. I decided to ignore this, and chase after Leo instead.

"Carrie?" I heard Elliot call after me. "Where are you going?"

I wasn't listening. Rather, I was running down the corridor. After a moment, it gave way into the outside, and soon I was met with a line of trees.

_'Where are you, Leo?'_

* * *

><p>I'm running, my legs won't stop moving. My breath is raged as I run, trying to find some destination, but I don't even know why I'm running. Maybe because I need to? Why is that?<p>

I had come back and I had seen her face, that beautiful face. And her eyes, they were filled with a furry, but they were locked with mine and they didn't fade until the last second.

She called my name, but I was just barely managing to stay like that. I had no choice but to run.

Ruins were around me, yet I was running through a woods, and the only word in my head was my only instinct.

Run.

Something else was wrong though, besides that single word repeating over and over in my head in tune with the painful beating of my heart inside my chest. The corrosion I had felt back in the void was much stronger now, making my head hurt, sending spasms of pain pulsing though my body. It was all painful, like being stabbed with a hundred needles.

I soon broke through the line of trees, and a pool of water came into my vision. More ruins of this place were still around, but they were in the distance. I staggered towards it, but the pain that had been locked up inside exploded throughout my body, making me collapse onto the ground.

My arms wrapped around myself as I struggled to breathe, pained gasps and whimpers sliding past my lips. I rolled over onto my side, pressing my arms against me to try and make the pain go away, and failing miserably. I then tasted something warm in my mouth, and I coughed, finding that it was blood.

It trickled down from a corner of my mouth as I coughed up more, spitting it out onto the ground. Honestly, I was a bit frightened, because I didn't know what was happening. What was happening to my body?

_'What's happening to me?'_

"Leo...?" Ah, is that...her voice? ...yes, it is!

"C-Carr..ie...?" I rasped.

A pair of arms picked me up from the ground, and a face came into view..._her _face. It was the face I had come to love, and I was so happy to see it as she pressed her warm body to mine, even seeing those light blue eyes was so precious. She pushed away my bangs and slid my glasses down halfway, exposing my eyes.

She looked like an angel in those dancing lights, but her eyes looked sad. Oh God, I hate seeing her cry. Please don't cry.

"What's wrong?" She asked, her voice concerned,

"I...I don't know." I was then overcome by a fit of coughs, my hand clamped around my mouth. After it faded, I pulled my hand away to see that there was blood on it. I couldn't help but to tremble in fear. "Carrie, help me, please!"

Her face remained the same, but then she pulled me close to her. "You're alright, Leo. I'm here."

My breathing was labored, but I managed to put my trembling arms around her. "Carrie...I...if this were to ever happen again, won't you...won't you come for me?"

"Yes, Leo." She answered.

"Will you hold me in your arms, just like this?"

"Yes."

"Will you...kiss me and make everything alright?"

She hesitated but then answered. "Yes, Leo. I will come save you."

Her words made tears come into my eyes. "Carrie." I couldn't help but to let the tears flow. "Please, just hold me like this, just for a little bit longer."

That's when it hit me; I've seen this all before. Everything that was happening here, it happened in that dream! That dream had showed me the future, and it came true. As long as she loves me, I will hold on.

I wanted to stay in her arms...forever.

There was suddenly a sharp pain in my chest, and I could feel my heartbeat increasing to a dangerous pace. It rang in my ears, and my vision was becoming blurred.

**"Stupid boy."**

"No!" I shouted, making Carrie look at me in surprise. "Carrie, get away!"

I pushed her from me and I tried to get up and run. I didn't get farther than one step before my knees buckled and I fell down, those painful waves of pain enveloping me in darkness once more.

_'No! Carrie!'_

* * *

><p>"Leo!" I cried out as he fell to the ground. I could only watch as pained yells were ripped from his throat and he squirmed about on the ground, his hands twitching erratically and his limbs flailing about.<p>

Without warning though, he stopped moving and fell silent. My eyes widened as the seconds went on, Leo still unmoving.

Slowly, I stood, trying to look for any signs of life. "Leo...?"

Relief flooded me when he wearily let out a groan, but it was shattered when he sat up, and I saw that his eyes were black once more.

_'No!' _My mind screamed.

His eyes locked with mine, and then they flashed. A wave of energy sent me flying back into a nearby tree, and I slumped down against it.

All I saw were those black eyes before I lost consciousness.

* * *

><p><em>'Where is she?'<em> My eyes darted around, looking for Carrie. I had gotten Heather off my back for now, but she'd be back soon enough.

Then, a harsh cry resounded through the air, one only I knew.

"Leo?" I ran down the corridor, looking for a way out and to find Leo, because I knew the scream had come from him.

After a moment, the corridor fell apart into an open space, a pool of water nearby. The sky above was cloudy, and there was a gusting wind in the trees. Off to the side, I saw Carrie, she was slumped down against a tree, clearly unconscious.

Then another gust of wind came along, and I saw him, standing in the middle of the empty space; Leo.

"Ha-ha. Hello, Elliot." He chuckled. He then reached for a sword that was at his side, drawing it out and pointing its blade at me. "So nice to see you."

I growled, knowing I'd have to fight back with my own weapon. My hand gripped the hilt of my sword and I drew it from it's holster.

"Stop this, Leo." I demanded.

"I think not." He then took a running start at me with an insane grin, and I charged at him too, the metal clang of our swords resounding.

* * *

><p>I stirred and my eyes opened. The sky was dark and I was leaning back against a tree. I was dazed and confused, not having a clue what was going on...until I heard the clang of a sword.<p>

I looked to the sound and saw Elliot dodge an attack from Leo, who held a sword and kept swinging it at Elliot wildly. I felt frozen as I watched my two friends fights against each other, now regretting I hadn't drawn my dagger while I had the chance. I had wasted it getting lost in that one moment when I held Leo in my arms, but I wouldn't have been able to live with myself If I had done it then.

However, looking at the eyes of my lover, those aren't the eyes I know so well. That isn't Leo, only someone who shares that body. It's Glen using Leo, and the crazed emotions fueling him into insanity once more.

That made my heart ache, because I never wanted that to happen again, I was going to make sure of that. Ah, yes...I will.

Elliot dodged yet another attack, but he tripped and fell backwards. His sword slipped from his hand, and he let out a growl as he glanced at Leo, who just smirked.

"Aw, poor Elliot." He said, raising his sword. "Looks like this game is over for you."

'Wait...no, Elliot!' I realized what Leo was about to do and I leapt to my feet. 'Leo, don't do it!'

Elliot was defenseless, and in this state, Leo would bring his sword down on Elliot without hesitation.

"You've lost this game of tag!"

I couldn't take it anymore and I started running towards them. I had already lost Leo to Glen, I can't let Elliot die, not again.

_'No, I'm not losing anyone else!'_

Pain flared across my chest as I jumped in front of Elliot, shielding him from the attack. I opened my eyes that had closed shut to find that the cold metal of the sword that Leo was holding was stained with blood...my blood.

In one second, violet returned to his eyes and he dropped the sword, clattering as it hit the ground.

"C-Carrie...?" He asked in disbelief.

I found it miraculous that I was able to stay on my feet, but as I wearily glanced up at Leo, my hand was slowly reaching for the dagger hidden in my coat.

"I'm sorry, Leo" With that, I took his arm, pulling him close to me, just as my hand closed around the dagger's hilt. I pulled it from my coat and plugged it deep into his chest, right through the incuse.

_"Forgive me."_

**Cliffhanger! (sorry) Gosh, I'm axnious about the new chapter of the manga. We finally get the truth through some well deserved back story, and I still can't forgive Jack! (I hope you live Leo!) The next chapter will be up in a few days, and we'll finally see Carrie's power. And a note on the mystery man, you'll find out about him on the last chapter and in the sequel.**

**As always feel free to leave a reveiw.**


	30. The Seal

**Hello again. Another chapter here for you. I know it's shorter than the last few chapters, but it turned out alright, I guess. After this, there's only 2 chapters left, and I'll put those up as soon as possible. They shouldn't take very long at all. Yes, I know I left off on a cliffhanger, but now you'll get the answer, starting wiith a flashback from Elliot.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

Chapter 29: The Seal

_(Flashback)_

_The blade of our swords met, the clash sending out a ring as the metal collided. We pushed away, Leo casting me a grin that seemed to mock me. I stood firm, my eyes narrowed at him and my grip tightening on my sword._

_Did it really have to come to this? Master against servant, friends pitted against each other? Did it really have to be this way?_

_"Enough with this, Leo." I demanded, but he just laughed._

_"Oh, Elliot. Are you not enjoying this?" He asked mockingly. "Can't one of us just finish this game? There isn't much time left."_

_"Then why can't you admit that to yourself?" I charged at him again, but he put up his sword to block the attack._

_"Because what is there in admitting it?" He said. "The time will come soon enough, and I'm not delaying that nay longer."_

_He then tried swinging the sword at me, but I saw it just in time, jumping back a step to avoid it slicing my skin. "Leo, that damn Chain is corroding your body, you can't use it anymore! If you just stop this nonsense now, then we'll find a way, I promise."_

_He lowered his sword for a second, looking tense, but then he raised it against me once more. "What do you know about promises?"_

_This time, he was the one who came at me, now furiously trying to cut me down with the sword. I took my own in defense as I skidded back on my feet. The black eyes that I caught a glimpse of for a mere moment as he effortlessly kept attacking._

_"Leo-"_

_"How can you promise someone that things will be alright? How can you promise that you can save someone?" He just kept on yelling these things with every attack. "You can't, can you? Why do you two come so far, when you know nothing can be done and all the promises are broken?"_

_I glared at him, these words angering me even more. "Leo, you idiot, it's because we __came__!" _

_He got close to me, but with my free hand, I pushed him away with all my might. He fell back to the ground with a pained yelp and looked up at me with a menacing glare, the sword having slipped from his hand._

_"Do you think if we thought things were impossible we would have come after you? How do you think Carrie feels about this?" I saw him stiffen, but I didn't care what he wanted to yell at me for, I need him to hear these words. "Leo, she loves you, she cares about you. If she didn't, then she wouldn't have come. She loves you beyond all reason!"_

_I couldn't see past his glasses, but I did see a tear slide down his face as I approached. "Elliot,-"_

_"I'm not finished yet." He might be coming back to his senses, so I needed to keep this up, just for a bit more. "I don't like this. I hate the fact that my own friend has turned against me. I know they're all dead; all my direct siblings, even my mother. But here, I still have two others that I care about." I looked directly down into his face as I kneeled in front of him and pushed away his bangs, seeing violet once again. "You and Carrie are the only family I have left."_

_I pulled my hand away, his bangs falling back to where they were. "Elliot, I..."_

_"It's okay, Leo." I said, standing up. "Please, stop this pointless fight."_

_He looked up at me, another tear on his pale cheek. "Elliot."_

_He started to reach a hand out to me, but then he stopped, his hand now trembling and then he drew it back, putting it to his head and letting out a low pained noise. I wanted to help him, but that would of been a fatal mistake. His head snapped up and he quickly grabbed the sword beside him. Surprised, I was just able to miss it._

_"Leo!"_

_"You're it." He softly said._

_Our swords clashed again, Leo once again out of control and his normal self locked up. I had to find another way to snap him out of this. Carrie would know what to do, since she's done it once before, but she was unconscious at the moment, so she was no help._

_One wrong step though, and he ended up nearly stabbing me with his sword. Even though I dodged it, my feet then tripped up and I fell back wards, my own sword clattering from my hand._

_I tried to get up, but I found myself frozen. __**'What the hell? Is he using Jabberwock to paralyze me?'**_

_"Aw, poor Elliot." I heard him say as I looked up at him. "Looks like this game is over for you."_

_His sword was now raised in the air, and I realized what he was doing. __**'No, Leo!'**_

_"You've lost this game of tag!"_

_My eyes widened, knowing that he would bring that sword down on me and I'm defenseless against it._

_I'll die again. __**'Leo!'**_

_He swung it down, but something came between us and it wasn't me who the sword struck. Leo dropped the sword, whose silver metal held blood. Those red dropped down onto the ground, and standing on her won two feet, the one who had kept Leo from killing me...it was Carrie._

_(End flashback)_

I recall that, as if it had just happened a moment ago. She was still standing, and I was unable to speak.

"C-Carrie...?" Leo asked, realizing what he had done. He must of regained control after he struck her with the sword.

I thought about what had happened, and everything before that, and I came to a realization that she had done the same thing I did the night I died; she had said she didn't believe in self sacrifice, but yet she had done it, right here in front of my eyes.

She looked up at him slowly, and I saw that she was reaching for something in her coat with a shaky hand. _'What is she-'_

"I'm sorry, Leo." She whispered, loud enough for us both to hear.

In the next instant, I was able to move again, but she quickly pulled Leo close to her and drew a dagger from her coat, sending it deep into Leo's chest, right above his heart.

There was a silence, and I was unable to comprehend what had just happened. I only know what I saw and heard. They loved each other, I knew that, yet...why?

Blood dripped from the both of them as she removed the dagger, leaving me speechless as they both fell to their knees.

_'Why...Carrie?'_

* * *

><p><em>'I'm sorry.' <em>Tears kept falling as we fell to our knees, our blood dripping down our bodies and mixing on the ground. His breath touched my skin and he looked up at me, his violet eyes frozen with shock. In my mind, only two words were repeating like a broken record. _'I'm sorry.'_

The dagger fell out of my hand as I looked down at him; he was crying. "C-Carrie, I...why...?"

"Leo..." I couldn't stand to look at his eyes directly, but I couldn't help but to do so, even though it was only lenses I could see. "I received a letter, and it...told me a way to help you. I knew it had to be within my own thoughts, and this was the only way to save you in time." I wrapped my arms around him, holding my lover close. "Forgive me, Leo."

His body trembled and was growing colder in my arms. I knew I had to activate whatever power it was that dwelt within me, but, even though I was silently begging, it wasn't answering my call.

_'Come on, please!' _I wouldn't be able to hold on much longer ether, the wound dealt to me making me feel dizzy. _'If I really have this power, then let me use it!'_

"Carrie..." I looked at Leo, his face paler than usual. "I feel so cold."

_'No! Please let me use that power!'_ There wasn't much time left, he was slipping away from me quickly.

"Carr-" I then pressed my lips to his, my eyes closing as he held me tight, not wanting to let me go. I hope this wasn't the last kiss we would ever share, because I didn't want this to be the end. I had never wanted to do what I did, but it had to be done if I was going to activate this so called power. I didn't need the dagger to channel it.

I pulled my lips away, and he just looked up at me. Then, with a shaky hand, he did something unexpected; he took off his glasses and pushed away those long bangs that covered his eyes. They were filled with tears and the same rich violet color was there.

"You...you look wonderful among the lights." He let out a soft sigh and closed his eyes, his head falling against me.

_'No!'_ He didn't move. I need to use this power now! Why won't it answer me?

"Leo...?" Nothing. His head still rested against me.

_'Let me use that power now!'_ Elliot had now gotten up from behind me and had slowly moved next to me, not speaking as he stared at his friend.

"Leo, don't..."

_'God help me!'_

Suddenly, there was a small click and I felt something unlock. It was flowing inside me, making my heart race and it was slowly building up, spreading out to my fingertips. Was this...yes it was!

"Elliot," I spoke softly. "Get away from me."

"Huh? But you-" I stopped him with a light chuckle.

"Please, Elliot." I said, turning my head to him. "It'll be alright."

He seemed to realize my words, because he nodded and took a few steps back. I then tightened my grip around Leo's cold body and held him even closer, now putting my head atop his shoulder. The strange energy I had been feeling was spreading throughout my body, and within it, there was a spark, and then it exploded.

A loud clap, like thunder, resounded about, and light started glowing underneath us. The glow spread up us, surrounding us both in it's light. The wind picked up around us, blowing our hair up. I heard something faint, like an echo, and I looked up and faintly saw the eyes of Jabberwock. It didn't cast a threatening stare at me, only blink and fade away.

I closed my eyes and smiled, letting the energy transfer into Leo. I felt it flow directly from me and into him. Next, the wound I had received earlier, it seemed to be healing, I could feel it. That must mean that the one I had dealt to Leo must be healing as well. Then came a series of clicks, like a clock. They kept repeating and getting faster and faster until it stopped.

The incuse must of reset itself!

There was then a ringing in my ears and then a flash. After that, everything calmed down, and I looked back at Leo, his face had a bit of color back to it and he was no longer cold. I smiled and took his hand, and then we fell sideways onto the ground, each of us rolling onto our backs, but our hands remaining together.

I couldn't move, I felt like every last bit of strength had been sucked out of me, then run over by a bus. Even if I couldn't move, I heard something, like a cry. It was sharp and quick, and when I managed to look over at Leo, I saw his face scrunched up in pain. In the next second, I barely saw his eyes as they flung open. His back arched slightly as he let out a loud gasp and a purple shard bust from his chest, shooting up into the air, eventually falling back to earth and landing away from us.

_'The fragment.'_ I thought.

I watched him fall still, then my eyes closed as well, both of our bodies in well need of some rest.

The fragment was removed and the incuse had reset, and I had used that power. I can't help but to let sleep capture me.

**So, Carrie finally uses her power. We'll let them rest while I write out the next chapter, I mean, they deserive it after something like that. Also, if anyone remembers about the dream Carrie had about seeing Aaron's death, the truth behind Anastasia's death will be reveiled in the next chapter, along with Leo finding out a secret about himself as well.**

**As always, feel free to leave a reveiw.**


	31. More Than A Simple Moment

**Okay, we're nearly done. Like I said in the last chpater (for those of you wondering how Anastasia dies), this will tell you about Anastasia's death. Also, I've kind of wondered why Leo was chosen as the next conitainer for Glen's soul, so I've intergrated that into the story here, although, in the manga, we might never find out why. On that note, I'm anxiously awaiting Retrace 66.**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.**

Chapter 30: More Than A Simple Moment

"Hello?" Someone asked. "Can you hear me, Glasses?"

It was hard to move at first, mainly because all my limbs hurt, I mean, my muscles felt like they had been torn to shreds. I was able to flex my hand though after a moment, and soon I was able to move my arms. My eyes fluttered open to reveal someone standing in front of me and I was caught off guard by who it was.

This person had raven black hair and his sliver eyes glimmered; he was the same boy from back then.

"You? What are you-" That's when I caught sight of the scenery. Where we were appeared to be some sort of cavern, the walls crumbled down around us, but there was black sky. I found that I had been propped up against a large rock, and that water surrounded us both.

"How are you?" The boy in front of me asked.

I was too distracted by the place around us, a thought already coming to mind. "Is this...the Abyss?"

The boy shook his head. "No, we are not. On the contrary, we are deep inside your subconscious. You still have yet to answer my question though, how are you right now?"

I thought about his answer, now relieved that this wasn't the Abyss. "Not too good."

That was true, no doubt about it. I could just barely muster the energy to keep my eyes open, feeling like all my strength had been drained from every last bit of me, everything felt numb, even though I could move my arms slightly, and my chest felt heavy, like it was hard to breathe or something. However, I had become of an ache inside my chest too, throbbing with every beat of my heart. It brought back a faint memory, but I can barely remember it, and there was another one just like it, so near and...

"Carrie!" It was all coming back to me.

The sky was dark, and we were in the middle of the ruins of a granite complex. I had been trying to get free from Glen, getting so desperate that I had started seeing illusions. Whether it was my desperation or my physical state at the time, I don't know. What I do know, is that I thought I saw a sword in my hands and someone was threatening Carrie and Elliot, them being trapped. I thought I had cut down that person, but then there was a flash and I realized I had free reign of my body again, but then I saw what had really happened. I dropped the sword the moment I saw blood staining Carrie's clothes; I'm the one who struck he with the sword. But as she glanced up at me, she pulled me close and stabbed me with some kind of blade, going right through my heart.

She was crying, and she kept whispering for her to forgive me. Her tears were true, and I understood, and...I did forgive her. The last thing I had known, she kissed me and I saw her among the dancing lights. She had looked so beautiful, after that...I remember an insane and razor sharp pain explode inside me, like someone was digging into my chest and trying to rip my heart out. Actually, I did feel something like that, and at that point I assumed that someone did rip out my heart.

Then...there was nothing except waking up here.

"Relax, Leo." The boy said calmly, kneeling down in front of me. "You can't get too stressed right now. Your heart and your body are very weak at the moment and need to recover, especially after such an ordeal."

I willed my own breathing to slow down. "Wait, Carrie and Elliot, are they-?"

"Yes, Leo, they're both alright." He replied. "I'm surprised by the girl though. She jumped in front of Elliot when you brought your sword down."

My eyes widened. "I...what?"

"You heard me." He crossed his arms and looked down at me. "While Glen controlled you, your emotions spiraled out of control and you almost killed Elliot, that is if Carrie hadn't jumped in front of him." He uncrossed his arms and stared off into the black sky. "It's almost like that day long ago. I swear, that-"

"Stop! Are they okay?"

He looked down at me again. "Yes, they are fine. Elliot is unharmed, and as for Carrie, she activated some sort of power and healed both your wounds. She must be resting as well, as are you. Both your bodies took quite a beating."

I sighed with relief and slumped down against the rock. "That's good."

I had closed my eyes, but the boy shook my shoulder forcing them awake. "Hey, don't pass out on me. There's something I want to show you."

This caught my attention. "Something to show me? What would that be?"

"I'll show you." I struggled to get up, but the raven haired boy helped me stand, bracing me until I could stand without falling over. Once he saw that I was stable enough, he nodded in approval, taking his hand off my shoulder. He didn't say anything else, but instead led me through the vast expose of water, the black liquid splashing as our feet moved us forward.

After a minute or two, I noticed everything was becoming darker, and I couldn't see the boy in front of me.

"Wait!" I called after him, but he didn't look back.

"You want to know why you were chosen? This is your answer." He then vanished completely and before I could call out for him, there was a blast of warm air, making me shut my eyes for a second. When I opened them, I was greeted by a different scene.

Ashes fell down around me, and behind me, I turned to see a castle looming over me, flames erupting from every window. I remember seeing a dream similar to this not too long ago, maybe a week or so, but it was the same.

"There has to be someone else."

I heard this voice, and turned to my left to see a man looking up at the castle, his eyes closed. When he opened them, I saw a color that matched my eyes, but lighter. I then knew who this person was.

Glen Baskerville.

_'Glen Baskerville? But what's he doing here?'_ I wondered.

"If it hadn't been for Vincent, I could of done it sooner, but I need to find someone else." He said solemnly.

Vincent? Of course, he had been the one to disrupt the ceremony, saving his brother, Gilbert, but at a great cost.

If this was after that, then what could Glen possibly be up to now?

"Now that I think about it, there was another." He lightly smiled, but it quickly faded. "Well, he is dead, but I can trace him, and then transfer it over to him."

I was confused. Is this what that boy wanted to show me, even though I don't know what any of this means. I knew of everything, that after the tragedy happened, I inherited the soul of Glen Baskerville. Yet, why was I feeling nervous, this feeling making my hands tremble.

_'I...I don't understand. Is he possibly saying that-'_

"It will take 100 years, but the person he will become should be just about right; the new container."

My heart skipped a beat at this, because this meant that I was already chosen, and going along with this, it's as if...

"Glen-sama!" A voice cried out.

Glen looked over in the direction of the voice, as did I, and not too far away, I saw a girl. Her long hair was messy, her dress was red with blood in places and was torn at the edges, having been burnt. In her eyes, I saw a blazing furry, almost like Carrie's during the battle when I first came back.

Her iced over eyes held the exact same look.

"Anastasia." Glen simply said.

Before I could even start to put these pieces together, another wave of hot air came over me, making the ashes come into my eyes and wincing them shut. When it subsided, I found myself once again surounded by water.

The raven haired boy from before stood in front of me again.

"You see now?" He asked in monotone.

"But, I still...I don't understand." I mumbled, Putting a hand to my head as I tried to comprehend all of the things I had just seen and heard.

"I think you do." His silver eyes then locked with mine. "Say it."

I hesitated, not knowing what to say at first, but I gulped and gave him my answer. "I'm...a reincarnation of...no, I still don't get it."

He chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "Kind of. In a manner of speaking, you're my reincarnation."

I took a step back away from him. "W-what?"

"However, since you inherited Glen Baskerville's soul, I was forced aside and became something else, even though my body was formed as yours. So, in short, you have my body, but not my soul, making you technically my reincarnation. You are still 'Leo' after all."

My heart was now racing inside me, overwhelmed with this revelation. "Then, if you became something else, and you've been with me for my entire life, then what are you to me?"

"That, my friend, is a story for another day, but one day, I'll tell you. Coming to you this many times has been a killer on me, when I am to remain only as an echo of whispers." He walked to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "Now, you must rest. You will heal, given time, but, as I've said, your body is weak right now, especially your heart, considering you were stabbed with a diamond blade. The external wound has healed, but the one dealt to your heart needs a bit more time, even though you started to heal the second that energy flowed into you. You do have amazing healing abilities though, so it'll heal and you'll be fine."

He forced me to sit down, and I winced at a sudden twinge inside me. I guess I still needed time.

"Will I wake up?" I asked cautiously.

"Yes, when the time is right, your body will naturally wake up on its own." He turned away, but then quickly turned back, as if remembering something. "Oh, and, she has become stronger, and I'm surprised her next body kept the power, even though she went through an abnormality. I still love her, but she's yours now, because she is 'Carrie'."

"Wait, what do you-" I was cut off when he then pushed me gently down so that I now lay in the water.

"Just rest. It'll be alright." He turned to leave, and was starting to fade, but there was one last thing I needed to know.

"Who are you?"

He stopped in his tracks a turned back, his smile was soft and his eyes glowed like candles.

"Aaron Chapman."

* * *

><p>Dark...it's dark. There's a dirt road that my feet are walking beneath, and I wonder, what has become of me.<p>

"Hello, Carrie." That voice rang into the darkness, and made stop. I had been walking on a darkened road for who knows how long, but this voice suddenly comes, and...I've heard it before.

"Who's-" I turned to face whoever it was who had uttered these words, and I came face to face with a girl in a white dress, her blue eyes looking right into me.

"I believe this is the first time we've spoken like this, isn't it?" She spoke again.

I have no idea who this girl is, but, I think I've seen her somewhere before, and she...looks like me? "I'm sorry, but, who are you?"

"Ah, you honestly don't know? I guess that's to be expected." She then held out her hand and smiled. "I am Anastasia Mouchette, daughter of Lord Mouchette and Duchess Mouchette."

I was surprised, not being able to find the words to speak. "You...you are...?"

"What's wrong?" She asked innocently. "You look as if you've seen a ghost."

"Try telling that to the person in front of me!"

She laughed. "Ha-ha. Yes, I suppose so. It's been a long, long time actually."

I cleared my throat and regained my composure, now able to face her without looking shocked. "Well then, just why have you appeared to me now?"

"Because I finally got the chance!" She jumped up and twirled around. "You know, even though he may be nothing more than a faint echo in the distance, he was such a great person."

"Huh? You mean Aaron Chapman?"

"Yes, dear girl." She sighed, as if remembering something bittersweet. "That's why I admire the relationship you share with your love, it reminds me of what me and Aaron were back then."

"Do you miss him?" I quickly regretted saying that, the words just automatically coming out of my mouth.

She nodded her head. "Yes, I do, very much. I know he gave his life for mine, even though I died afterwards."

"Anastasia," I said slowly, now remembering something I had learned not too long ago. "Just, well, how exactly did you die?"

Her eyes widened for the slightest second, as if she was remembering something she'd rather forget. Crap, why did I bring that up?

"I...I can show you, if you'd like."

"No, I didn't mean it like that! It's just that I-"

"It's alright, Carrie. In order to understand a story, you must have all the information, correct?" I nodded my head in response. "Then if you ask that, I will show you, thus gaining the answer."

I wasn't sure what to say. Ever since I had seen that dream of Aaron's death, I had wondered how Anastasia died. This was my chance to learn the truth, my hands curling into tights fists with anticipation. I had to know what had happened 300 years ago.

"Okay."

"Good, now follow me."

She walked past me, and I really had no choice but to follow her. We continued to walk down the dirt path, until a small house appeared, like maybe a little cottage from a storybook. She opened the door and gestured me to go inside.

With no other choice, I walked inside, and everything was dark, and Anastasia hadn't followed me inside.

"Anasta-"

"Glen-sama!"

I heard this voice shout and I turned around to find an entirely different place. I was in the middle of a large garden, half burnt I might add. There was something like rain falling down, but it wasn't rain, they were ashes, a burning castle towering behind me. Anyways, there were two people here, one of them, I recognized from an earlier vision; Glen Baskerville. The other one, she stood a considerate distance away from him, and even though her hair was messy and her dress was burnt, I knew this was Anastasia.

"Anastasia." Glen said, looking at her.

"Why?" She growled in a low tone. "Why are you doing this?"

She took a few steps toward him, unwavering as she approached. "Anastasia, you don't get it, do you?"

"What is there to get, besides the fact that you've caused this!" Her rage was boiling over, her blue eyes blazing with and ice cold furry. "Everyone is dying, and you caused Aaron to die too! I loved him you know, and now he's dead!"

"Are you intending to fight me?" That's when I noticed, there was an extreme sense of power leaking out from her, I could feel it. It was like when I...when...I used my power to seal Jabberwock and remove the fragment; when I had let that power seep out of me and into Leo.

Is it possible, that me and Anastasia have the same power?

"Glen-sama, even though I truly don't understand...I can't forgive you for these sins!" A light exploded beneath her, and the same glow that had surounded me and Leo was now dancing off her. "I will never forgive you!"

He just lightly smiled, Anastasia at that point lunging at Glen, but a chain came up and blocked her attack, making her skid back on her feet. The icy stare in her eyes now looked so cold that it was like a fire.

She shouted something into the air as she took another turn at attacking him, but this time, a chain darted for her. She was just barely able to dodge and she looked up, hissing as she saw the same thing I was seeing; Jabberwock.

_'What is she doing?'_ I asked myself, watching the two continue to fight. _'If she thinks that she can take on Jabberwock, then she must be...'_ Then it clicked for me. _'No, she can...she's powerful enough.'_

"Tell me why, Glen-sama!" She yelled continuing her assault, her attacks still causing no damage. "Tell me!"

"Are you sure you're not this way because Aaron is dead?" His question made her stop, but then her hands tightened into fists.

"Don't you dare talk about him like that!" This time, she was able to get closer to Glen, going in for the same moves of hand to hand combat that I had used. "What do you know about us?"

"You shouldn't fret, Anastasia." He was able to push her back with little effort, then summoning a chain that wrapped around her and threw her across the garden. "You know the story, and, ironically, he makes a fine vessel too."

She struggled to get up, but she heard his words clearly and turned her head up to him. "W-what? Are you talking about Aaron?"

"In a matter of speaking, no." Now he was the one approaching her, glancing down at her as she sat up on her knees. "There will be another to serve as the vessel."

The fire that had been burning half the garden now came closer to them. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"100 years later, there shall be another boy who will inherit this soul."

"Wait, are you saying you transfer your soul to others?" She demanded. "I've heard of such a thing from Alice, and..." Her eyes widened in horror. "What are you saying?"

"My dear girl, he was already chosen, since young Vincent had to interfere." Glen answered.

"Isn't there another way?" She was practically yelling now. "Why an innocent person like him?"

"You know that 100 years from now, that won't matter. And maybe if I were to be killed again, the thread of fate just might leave a fragment inside him."

At that moment, the fire that had been drawing close to them shot around the two, completely surrounding them in a ring if fire. Anastasia looked around franticly realizing she was trapped.

"There has to be something...!"

"Forget it." She looked up at him. "I won't change my mind."

The bright flames came between them both and leapt onto her, trapping her in an inferno.

Wait, this all seems so familiar. To that end though, I don't... no, I do know what's going on. I've dreamed of this! I've seen all of this before!

"No!" She shouted. "There's gotta be another way! I wouldn't let someone like that die!"

The wind that had been gusting around this place blew the hot embers towards me, and I had to shut my eyes because of it. When I opened them, I saw Glen walking away from the fire that had trapped Anastasia, now a fireball.

I was about to assume the worst for the girl, that was until I heard a fierce cry and looked to see her emerge from the fire. Her clothes were burnt and light flames were dancing off them. Her icy eyes were wide with the same icy glare, her face now an ashened black, clearly burned.

She charged at Glen once more, but when he turned around to face her, a chain came up at her and struck her square in the chest. Glen only looked at her as the chain removed itself and she fell to the ground.

After a moment, she opened her mouth to try and speak. "G-Glen-sama...?"

He didn't answer her, only looked down at her again and then walked away, not looking back. After he was out of sight, I walked over to her and looked down at her face, it almost looked lifeless.

"Anastasia." First it had been Aaron, now it would be her to perish here.

"A-Aar..on..." She managed to whisper. Her eyes then slipped shut and her head titled to one side.

Anastasia Mouchette was dead.

"Do you see now?" A voice echoed. The scene faded away, and I was inside a small parlor, the walls collapsed around me. By a broken window, Anastasia stood, her eyes downcast.

"Yeah." So, now, the truth was revealed. Both of them had died by Glen's hand. "He killed you."

"I know." She turned back up to me and forced a smile. "I think we've both grown stronger though, because I can see that you and Leo hold powers beyond belief, and you've also kept what I've used only once."

"You had a power? I remember something once said about me, that I hold a power that transcends the..." My words trialed off as it all clicked in my head. Everything Leo had said to me when Glen had control of him, both those times, it was all coming together. "Wait! You're saying that I...that I'm-!"

"Yes." She walked to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "You are my reincarnation."

I was frozen where I stood, not being able to comprehend her words, but, it only made sense, why Leo had said those things to me on that night not to long ago, and that power that had unlocked inside me. It made perfect sense!

"I...am?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"Yes, you are." She took her hand off me and took a step back. "Do you also know that I've been with you for a very long time? Your whole life?"

"My whole...life?" My hand automatically tightened into a fist. "Prove it then!"

She laughed, like it was a joke. "Alright then. I've only spoken to you once, that day Leo woke up in the hospital, right before you left. You assumed it was amnesia, but I told you different."

I recalled that day, and I knew I heard that voice. That was...her?

"It really is you then."

She nodded. "It is. Now, it is time for you to return."

"Return? To where?"

"Have you forgotten? You need to return to them, your sister, and your two friends, Elliot and Leo."

"Ah!" I can't believe I forgot about him. "You're right, Anastasia!"

She laughed again. "Of course." She then put her hand to my forehead and her hand started glowing. "Now, go to him. He is waiting for you."

* * *

><p>"Oh, are you awake?" I opened my eyes at this voice, half expecting to find Leo, but I caught the name from slipping out of my mouth when I saw that it was Sasha. I looked around, finding that I was now wearing my pajamas and I was laying in bed.<p>

"Yeah." I said with slight disappointment. "What happened?"

"From what Elliot said, he told me that you used some kind of extreme power after Leo cut you down with a sword and you stabbed him with a dagger." She explained to me. "I'm not sure what exactly you did, but the newspapers in Aroila report seeing a strange flash that night."

"It's better that they don't know. Everyone's alright?"

"Of course, Carrie." I noticed that there was a slight hesitation in her voice, but it was probably nothing. "After what happened, Elliot told me that he rushed you and Leo back here. He's sleeping right now, and I wouldn't be surprised."

"Nether would I." I shifted in my bed, getting into a more comfortable position. "Leo must be sleeping as well."

She nodded. "Oh, and don't worry about school, I called and said we had something important come up in the family."

"Heh...still up to your old ways."

"That's just me." She cleared her throat and moved closer to the door. "You should sleep, especially after this. Elliot might be able to explain things a bit more later."

"Right. Oh, Sasha." She had about to walk out the door, but she turned back to me.

"What?"

"I'm the reincarnation of Anastasia Mouchette."

She stared at me for a moment, silent. "I have no idea what you just said."

"Like you said, I'll explain later."

She shrugged and left, closing the door behind her. She had a point to her words, now was not the time to worry about anything, because it was all over, the fragment removed and the incuse reset, and the answers revealed to the questions I seek. Well, I still don't know the whole story of the tale of 200 years ago, but I must continue to seek it out, along with Elliot and Leo.

All three of us were alright.

Speaking of which, the next time I wake, he might be here beside me. I will be happy for when that moment comes. And I will smile, and I will welcome him with open arms; I will welcome him with gentle kisses and all the love I can give.

**Well, the next chapter is after this, so I'm gonna say in advance that I thank everyone who read and reveiw. I do know that the first part is a bit confusing, but I'll bring that up again in the sequel and explain it a bit more. On that note, feel free to leave a reveiw if you'd like.**


	32. Sunrise

**Okay, here it is. The last chapter of Straight for the Heart. I would of had this up sooner, but writters block struck at the last second, and I had bucket loads of homework to do. I have an english project due tomorrow and it's still not done, so I need to get back to that once I'm done here. Then there was Retrace 66: Jack, which is finally out, and Lacie virtualy shocked me. So, snow finally arived here, but it's only five inches. Hammock's new album came out also, so I'm glad about that. The second song on it, Sinking Inside Yourself, really helped me along with this chapter. **

**Also, thanks to all of you who reveiwed; MissIndigo, Tomoshibi-Chan, Remembering Alice, The Plot Theif, Fuuko96, DreamingInThePast, and Sorceress-of-Abyss (thanks for your cheerful reveiws). Thanks so much to all of you!**

**I do not own Pandora Hearts. ****Enjoy the final chapter of Straight for the Heart**

Chapter 30: Sunrise

The next day came, and I had expected to see Leo, but this time, I was greeted with Elliot, who looked well rested I might add.

"Good to see you, Elliot." I said with a grin as he stood by the doorway. "You brought us back here then?"

"Yeah. I used your phone to call Sasha before we left."

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. "But you've never seen a phone in your life."

"I've seen you use yours enough times that I memorized how you use it. And don't you remember when I asked you to show me how that stupid thing works?"

"Oh, that. So you did memorize that after all."

He nodded, but then his face turned serious. "I want to ask you one thing though."

"And that would be?"

"Why did you stab Leo?"

I thought he was going to ask me about why I had taken a nearly deadly blow to save him, but it was this instead and there was no way I could escape that question. By doing what I did, it was my hidden plan, and I never told Elliot, out of pure fear that he would try and stop me.

"I...Elliot..." I had started to form these words, but Elliot cut my off with an irritated sigh.

"Just tell me why." He said, his voice more serious.

"I received another letter before we left." I paused and took in another breath of air. "It said to take the dagger included with it and strike him through the heart, then channel my power into him to remove the fragment and reset the incuse." I looked at Elliot, knowing he must be mad at me. Meanwhile, Sasha had been hanging on every word, her eyes wide with interest. "Elliot, I'm sorry. I knew if I told you, then you would try and stop me, but this was the only way. You can be mad at me all you want, but I'm sorry about what I did; I truly am."

His eyes went to the floor for a moment, but then he smiled lightly at me. "You had reasons, and, ultimately, you and Leo are alright. Even though I was pissed off at first, you knew it was the only way, so I forgive you."

I chuckled. "Thanks, Elliot. Also, to the both of you, I have something to tell you."

"What? That you're some reincarnation?" Sasha interrupted before I could speak again.

"A what?" Elliot exclaimed, looking at Sasha, then me.

I growled at her, but then calmed down and spoke in my most serious voice. "I _am_ the reincarnation of Anastasia Mouchette."

Sasha started to laugh, but then it softened, because she could tell that I was serious.

"After I used my power, I found myself in this dream like place. And then she appeared before me." I started to explain, now grabbing Elliot and Sasha's attention. "She later showed me how she died 300 years ago; that she died by Glen Baskerville's hand, just as her lover, Aaron Chapman had on the same day."

"But how do you know you're her reincarnation?" Elliot asked.

"Because she's talked to me once, the first day I talked with Leo after he woke up. And then I knew, I knew it was her. Also, we have the same power, so, I know that we are one and the same."

"I guess that would make sense that you two have the same power. Otherwise, if you didn't, I guess you wouldn't of been able to removed the fragment. So, I believe what you say. You two are the same."

"Yeah." I shifted in bed and then snapped my fingers together, remembering something. "Speaking of which, what became of the fragment?"

"We have it here." Sasha explained. "We locked it away in a glass container so it can't harm Leo anymore. It's in a box on top of a bookshelf in the library."

"Okay then. I'm glad he's free of that bondage."

"Oh, Carrie, I found this in your coat pocket." She reached into the pocket of her sweatshirt and pulled out a pendent; a blood sealing mirror. "Is this yours?"

"No, mine is-" That's when it hit me, remembering about the contract Leo had with Jabberwock. "That one...it must be Leo's! The contract must of reset and channeled into the mirror that I had received in the letter along with the dagger! I should go give it to him!"

A smile grew across my face, but it fell as I looked at both my sister and Elliot. Their faces were blank, as if they didn't want me to get up and take the mirror to him.

Something's wrong.

"What are you guys not telling me?"

Elliot was the one who answered. "Well, you see, Leo...um,"

I was gripped in fear by his words. _'Oh God, please don't tell me I was too late! Please don't tell me he's dead!'_

"He's actually been asleep longer than you have."

Well, at last he's not dead, but still asleep? "How long?"

"Ever since you used your power." He started to explain. "Leo is alive and well, but he hasn't woken up yet, not even once."

I stare at the both of them for a moment, slowly understanding those words. Then I leapt out of bed and dashed off through the door, barely managing not to slip on the wood floor of the hall.

"No, Carrie, wait!" I ignored Elliot and rushed right into the room he was in, but I stopped frozen in the doorway and my breath caught in my throat.

On the opposite side of the room, Leo was lying in bed. He was clearly asleep and the covers of his bed were pulled up comfortably over him, but still exposed his chest, which was wrapped in bandages. I slowly walked over to him, noticing that his glasses had been placed on his nightstand, and I looked back at him, silent to me. Elliot had said that he had been asleep longer than me, but the fact that he hadn't woken once was concerning.

He was definitely alive, but I wanted him to be awake, I wanted to kiss him, I wanted...to apologize.

"Carrie." I turned to see Elliot come in also, coming to stand beside me. "He's alive, don't worry about that. And I found that were you had stabbed him, the wound had healed, but it was burned, so I put some bandages around it."

"Oh, I see." I reached a hand out and lightly stroked the side of his face "Leo."

"He's fine, and he'll probably wake up soon enough." I didn't answer Elliot, only looked down at Leo, A blank stare at his peaceful form.

"Can you...leave me be for a little while, Elliot?"

He gently put his hand on my shoulder. "I got it."

His hand slipped off me and he walked away. When he left, I knew he had closed the door, because the room was now semi dark.

I sat down on the bed, and let out a low sigh. "Leo."

* * *

><p>"Well, I guess that means it was them." Maverick concluded as Thorn sat down at the table with the three, carrying a cup of coffee. Philip was away on business and couldn't join them, so that Thorn, Artie, and Tracy to talk over the strange occurrence in Arolia that had been making headlines for two days now.<p>

"What makes you say that?" Artie questioned.

"Carrie is the only one who would carry a power to cause a phenomena like that, and, if that's so, it just proves that she _is_ Anastasia Mouchette's reincarnation."

"A reincarnation?" Tracy exclaimed.

"Yes." He took a sip of his coffee. "It's quite odd though, that the soul went through an abnormality."

"The first recorded one in history." Artie added.

"Quite right." Thorn interrupted. "There was a certain abnormality regarding the Abyss around the time of the battle of the two powers 100 years after the Tragedy of Sablier. In 1908, the day of the incident in Siberia, the exact same abnormality, with the exact same frequency, was detected when the supposed meteor exploded over Siberia. It's too close to be a coincidence."

"So, what your saying, is that this abnormality, was the soul of Anastasia Mouchette?" Tracy opened a pack of sugar and poured in in her coffee, then stirring it. Thorn rolled her eyes in response.

"That is the most likely reason, Tracy." Maverick continued to explain. "It is most likely that her soul was supposed to be reborn in that time, but because of that battle, it was thrust forward into a different time, a light speed jump if you will. It emerged in 1908 during the Siberian incident, but for some reason it wasn't reborn until Carrie-kun was born, inheriting her body."

"Ah, I see." Tracy stared into her coffee. "Then, what about Leo?"

Tracy's question made everyone stop what they were doing and look at her. Tracy glanced at each of them with a confused expression, but Maverick was the first one to answer before any of them.

"Leo-kun is indeed a Baskerville." No one bothered to say anything, so Maverick let out a sigh and continued. "His full name is presumably Leo Baskerville, but we can't assume that yet. Back 200 years ago, he was the heir to the Baskerville family, the 'container' for Glen Baskerville."

"How can you be certain?" Artie questioned.

"Because, Carrie-kun told me what happened between her and Leo-kun when Glen first awoke within him and took control. She had gone off to find him and the next time I saw them, Leo-kun was unconscious in her arms. She had told me that they had faced off against each other. At that moment, I was certain of what she had said."

"So, does that make him an enemy?" Thorn asked anxiously.

"Well, he doesn't seem to be on their side, and besides, he has a magnificent talent and power that could help us in the near future." Tracy said more gleefully this time.

"Exactly, Tracy." Maverick said, leaning back in his chair. "Those two, and the new one that joined them, are great assets. Between them and all of their skills combined, they hold a great power that could help us solve many mysteries."

* * *

><p>I ran my fingers lightly through his hair, noticing how soft it felt against my fingertips. Leo silently slept beside me, his chest gently rising and falling. Speaking of which, I found it odd how, well...hot he seemed shirtless. I ignored these thoughts, now not being the time to think of such a thing.<p>

Carefully, I reached out and touched his bandages, knowing what lay underneath them was were I had stabbed him, but now it was healed. My eyes then caught sight of a scar on his arm, and I wondered what that was from, maybe something happened back in his time that gave him that.

As my eyes were drawn back to the bandages, I then saw yet another scar. It was barely seen, mainly because the covers of his bed were laying over it, but pulled back the covers slightly to see it more clearly. It wasn't that big, but it was located just below the point where his ribcage separated.

Out of curiosity, I put my hand to it, and suddenly, I saw a flash of a image.

It had been a flash, but I saw a blond haired boy, his arm raised, and a chain had shot right through someone, but I couldn't tell who.

I pulled away, thinking about that flash. I had no idea who those people were, but had I just seen a memory? Is it a new power?

If so, that meant what I had seen was a part of Leo's memory, which could only mean that it was back from his time and the black haired person was Leo and... I saw how he...died...?

"Leo." I said softly, adjusting the covers over him again. If it was true, that must of been a very painful way to die, and I had nearly done the same. That only made me feel worse. I wanted to apologize so badly, I wanted him to wake so I could say it.

I just...

"Ngh..." Surprised, I looked down at Leo, only to see his head move slightly. He coughed and shifted in the bed, before settling down and tilting his head to me. "Carrie...?"

My hands were shaking. "L-Leo. How are you feeling?"

"My head still hurts a bit, but I feel better now." He took in another breath of air, then reached a hand up to my face. "Are you...alright...?"

I nodded in response. "Yes. I'm fine."

He let his hand fall away from my face. "That's good. And Elliot, he's alright too?"

"Yes, he's fine."

He suddenly flinched. "Ow, my chest hurts a little. What happened, Carrie?"

At this question, I thought back to what happened that night. "Well, you passed out and then my power activated. I don't now how I did it, but I could feel that energy flowing into you. After it faded from me, we both collapsed onto the ground. A few moments later, I heard you scream and then I saw a purple crystal shot up into the air from your chest."

"No wonder it hurts. Where is this crystal now?"

"Sasha told me that it's in a little container in a box that we put on a bookshelf. But you don't have to worry about Glen hurting you. The fragment is removed, and my power somehow reset your incuse and it channeled into a blood sealing mirror I had on me at the time."

He shifted in his bed once more. "Okay, but what about Jabberwock?"

"You're still contracted to it, but it'll be sealed inside you for now, just until you can use its power." Now my thoughts had drifted back to what happened afterwards, what I had seen.

_'He needs to know.'_ I thought bitterly.

"Um, Leo, I need to tell you something." I began.

"What is it, Carrie? You know you can tell me anything." He was being perfectly honest with me, but it would be unclear as to how he would react.

I took a deep breath and cruled my hands into fists. "I am the reincarnation of Anastasia Mouchette."

He just tilted his head off to the side. I knew he was confused, so I started to explain. I told him of all the thing's I had seen in the time before I woke up. I told him of when I came face to face with Anastasia, how I had seen her battle Glen and the power she released that was like mine, how she had died when she was fatally wounded, and how she had told me those secrets, including the truth that I was her reincarnation.

My voice was tired afterwards, but I could tell that Leo had listened to every word.

"So, you and her are the same then. Well, you are still 'Carrie' after all, right?"

"Yeah." I paused for a moment, trying to find the words to speak, a light joy coming back to me as I looked at his face, which I compare to a porcelain doll. He was finally awake, right here in front of me. To see him wake was an overwhelming joy, but, I still needed to apologize. "Um, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"About what I did back then. I had stabbed you through your heart, and I'm sorry I did that. It was the only way, because I could channel my power then, and this corrosion would stop, and you would be saved. But...I almost lost you. If I hadn't been able to...Leo, I'm sorry."

"Carrie-"

"Please forgive me!"

I closed my eyes and turned my head away from him, not able to face him now. He had nearly died because I couldn't activate my power. It was only a miracle that I did. I can still remember that night. I had seen his face twist with shock and pain the moment the dagger's blade had struck his heart. He felt so cold as he trembled in my arms, and I was scared for him, so desperately trying to activate the power. Back then, the boy in my arms didn't even seem like Leo, it seemed like he was a different person, but it was him.

I had almost killed him.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my own. Turning my eyes to see my hand, I saw that it was Leo's that grasped mine.

"You don't have to apologize." His face offered a light smile. "I know, Carrie. I understand your reasons for doing that. It's alright now, and I forgive you."

I looked down at him, my eyes brimming with tears at hearing those words of forgiveness. Even after I had done such a terrible thing, he still forgave me, even though I almost killed him.

A smile automatically appeared on my face and I reached over to the nightstand and took his glasses, then turning back to him.

"Don't get me wrong, you're eyes are wonderful, but I like you better with your glasses on." I gently set them on his face. "I love you, Leo."

He chuckled. "I love you too, Carrie. Don't ever forget that."

I couldn't answer him, but instead, I gently laid down and hugged him. In return, he put his arms around me and gently stoked my back.

_'I love you so much, Leo. I'm glad everything's over.'_

* * *

><p>As soon as Dan took the thermometer out of Mark's mouth, he let out a sigh and leaned back on his bed. Actually, he lay down instead, letting his head rest against a pillow.<p>

"You seem fine now." He said to the other boy as he put the thermometer inside a box, closing it and then standing up. "I should go see if Heater-san needs any help with preparing dinner."

"Go ahead." Mark plainly said. "I just want to sleep for a little bit."

Dan nodded and left the other to be alone. The second Mark knew that Dan was gone, he wearily sat up and got off his bed. Walking over to the mirror on his dresser, he looked at a piece of paper that had the words 'Gold pocket watch' and 'Lacie' scribbled down on that parchment, a question mark next to the name.

He wondered, just exactly was the importance of this pocket watch. Of course, he possessed no such thing, but why was it so symbolic? What was with the name too? Could 'Lacie merely be a name of a person, or the name of a song?

He had thought about this mystery for a while, and he certainly didn't want to call upon a certain someone to ask for the answers, since half the things they said never made sense.

Mark decided to put it out of his mind (for now anyway), but when he looked into the mirror, he saw something that shocked him.

_'M-my eyes.'_ He continued to stare at his reflection. _'Are they...turning color?'_

He couldn't really tell. One second they were blue, and now they were switching over to green? Or was he seeing things? No, his eyes looked blue, but...they looked a bit green. In retrospect, Mark liked the color of his eyes, and to have them change color on him, that only filled him with more dread.

Were his eyes really changing color? Were they fading from that soft sapphire and into that dreaded emerald?

He clenched his fists together and walk towards to window, leaning on the wall beside it.

Now, he was starting to think about the events gone by. Seconds after he awoke and went out to find Dan and Heather, he had seen a flash and blacked out. The next time he woke, Dan had found him and they soon ran into Heather. However, there was no sign of the Carrie, Elliot, or Glen.

Another thought came over him, like why is he still thinking that, when he clearly knows why Glen is gone.

"She really did it then." He breathed. "Carrie really _does_ have that power!"

Did he regret it? No, he did not.

_"Are you alright? Your pulse has quickened."_

Mark nodded at this voice, knowing who it was; his Chain. _'Yes, it's just incredible to know that she really does have such a power.'_

_"Of course. You told her yourself."_

_'Look, I had my reasons.'_

_"By attacking those cards, by helping Carrie and Elliot; you do realize that you betrayed your only allies?"_

He paused, thinking his answer over. _'I didn't feel comfortable with killing an innocent person. Leo was only possessed by him, it wasn't truly Glen. That boy was important to Carrie and Elliot, so, even if it was an act of betrayal, I did it out of knowing what was right.'_

The Chain chuckled quietly. _"Do you regret it?"_

_'No.'_

_"Do you think they could help? You have no idea how much longer your body can put up with this before the barrier shatters, or worse, you die from all this wearing down on you."_

Mark closed his eyes and grabbed some of the fabric of his shirt, right above his heart; the thing faintly and weakly beating, keeping him alive.

_'Yes, they could...Icarus.'_

* * *

><p>They went on through life, each day passing by.<p>

The day when he woke up again, Carrie had let him be because he needed more rest. When she had to go back to school, she would anxiously await the moment when she could return home to him. While Leo recovered, Elliot would stay with him most of the time, mainly because they shared the same room.

Leo had once said to him that he was surprised that Elliot wasn't complaining about this reality, or searching books to find a way back home. Elliot only replied by saying that this was his new home now, so what use was there complaining. Leo smiled because he knew Elliot was content, because he was surrounded by these people, the ones that he now called his family.

After he had fully recovered, Leo was able to stand on his feet without falling over. Carrie had taken him out to a restaurant were they had the most wonderful dinner, well, they had brought Elliot along too, not that they minded his company. The trio were now good friends, all of them with unbreakable bonds.

Soon after, Carrie turned 17. In honor of her birthday, Leo had gotten the new album of one of her favorite bands. Of course she had been overjoyed, and she hugged him tightly for the gift. She had spent most of her time listening to it.

They went on a trip to a neighboring city once, and it had started snowing on the way there, an uncommon occurrence in October. On the way there, Carrie found that Leo had fallen asleep against her, so she rested his head on her lap while he peacefully slept, which made her blush.

Carrie would often wonder about the scar on Leo below his ribcage, but she never once asked about it, yet she would wonder. She would think back to thee image she had seen flash by when she first put her hand to it, and she would wonder if she had seen the memory of his death. Anastasia, on the other hand, never spoke to her again, even when Carrie asked if she had some power of reading memories.

Still, her, Leo, and Elliot, went on through their lives, while also working for Pandora on various missions and such.

They were still wondering about the Baskervilles though, and what their true intentions were, but they knew that it had something to do with the five legendary bird-like Chains. All three of them knew that one day, the Baskervilles would come back. There was also the matter of the letter sender Icarus, and it was unknown if this person was a Baskerville or not, or if that person that had saved Carrie and Elliot from the card on the night of the battle had any connection or not.

Maybe they would be after the two Chains Carrie and Leo possessed, or maybe the fragment.

Carrie and Leo had discussed this already, and they had decided that until that time came when they would have to face their enemy, they could continue living their normal lives, just enjoying the calm.

They agreed to this and sealed their deal with a kiss.

_~fin_

**Okay, that the end. Again, I thank everyone who read and reveiwed. I'm glad you liked it. I'll get to work on the sequel as soon as possible, but just wait a little bit, because I might not have it up until around Christmas time, but I'll work on it when I can. **

**About the seuqel, it will be called 'Crying in the Rain'. I know there's some unanswered questions in at the end here, so you'll get some answers. For starters, what the Baskervilles want with the five black winged Chains. Also, you'll find out more about Mark, because he hides a secret. The truth of 300 years ago has been twisted, and in the sequel, all three of them will learn the reality of the truth they thought they knew.**

**Again, thank you so much.**

**~Rubi**


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